MEPHITIS ZORILLA. 69 



in some measure in the light. This iris is very vascular when injected, 

 and is not at all red when living, which would show as if the red blood 

 did not enter these vessels. 



There is no pigmentum nigrum, not even upon the processus ciliares, 

 which would seem as if the [pigmentum] nigrum was not the dunghill 

 of the humours, as is supposed. The [ciliary] processes are pretty pro- 

 minent. There being a process here, would show as if these processes 

 did not serve to stop the rays of light, as they are not covered with black ; 

 and if there was no occasion to stop the light here, then there was no- 

 occasion to have the processes here, if their use be to stop the light. I 

 could hardly observe any album pigmentum ; but as I made preparations 

 of them, I did not choose to examine them closely. The retina seems 

 to be very thin. 



The penis is a good deal like the racoon's, only the loose mem- 

 brane at the end of the bone is not a cavity as in the racoon, but it is 

 cellular ; however, this is not known till you cut into it to inflate it, for 

 it is as loose to appearance, before inflation, as it is in the racoon. 



The uterus, Fallopian tubes, and capsula ovaria are as in other 

 animals ; also the urinary bladder. 



The Stoat [Putorius vulgaris, Cuv.] . 



The thyroid gland is very small; the lower edge of the sacculus 

 laryngis is continued forwards from the tip of the arytenoid cartilage. 



The heart and lungs are as common. The stomach is as in other 

 animals, only there is a pretty long oesophagus below the diaphragm. 

 The intestines are as in the bear, racoon, &c. The liver is divided into 

 six lobes. The gall-bladder had a small lobe before it, so that it lies 

 between this little lobe and the middle or third from the right. The 

 ductus hepaticus passed down on the left of this little lobe, and the 

 cystic passed round on the right, and the second joined [the other] below 

 the lobe. 



The pancreas is as usual ; also the spleen and epiploon. 



The female parts of generation were as in the lioness, I think, but 

 they are very small. 



[The Zorille, or Cape Stoat (Mustela Zorilla, Desm., Mephitis 

 Zorilla, Lichtenstein) .] 



Banks's 1 Sine cceco. 



This animal is of the polecat kind ; long and small, like the ferret, 



1 [The body of the animal had been presented by Mr. (afterwards Sir Joseph) 

 Banks to Hunter, who had found it devoid of a 'caecum coli.'] 



