226 RODENTIA. 



then is connected to the right curve of the csecum, crosses the lower 

 curve of the duodenum, and gets on the mesoduodenuru, to which it 

 adheres and makes two small folds on itself; from thence it crosses the 

 root of the mesentery, and passes down on the left of the duodenum to the 

 pelvis. These two small folds on the hollow of the duodenum may answer 

 the same purpose as the fold in similar animals, as the colon passes the 

 spine. The rectum is carried a considerable way beyond the pelvis, 

 along the lower part of the tail, before it terminates in the anus, which 

 part is bent down from the tail 1 . 



The epiploon has no fat in it, being an extremely thin transparent 

 membrane. 



The liver is divided into four lobes, with the lobulus Spigelii ; the 

 second from the left is the largest, and is fissured for the entrance of 

 the Hgamentum rotundum and gall-bladder, whose ducts enter the 

 duodenum near the pylorus ; the right lobe is also fissured, so that it 

 might be reckoned two. The lobulus Spigelii is pretty large or long, 

 as in most of those animals, and is fitted to the curve of the stomach, 

 covered by the small epiploon; not, however, transversely, but the 

 epiploon makes an angle with itself by being attached along the concave 

 surface of the liver to near its lower edge, making -a kind of capsule for 

 the end of the lobulus Spigelii, and adheres to the right edge of the 

 lobulus Spigelii. 



The pancreas lies in the curve or sweep of the stomach and duodenum ; 

 but its duct does not enter near the pylorus, but at the last or lowest 

 turn of the duodenum ; so that there is but one duct to the whole sweep 

 of the pancreas. 



The kidneys are conglobate, very much the shape of the human, not 

 so prominent as in most other animals, but somewhat flatter. The 

 capsular renales are not flat but prominent, of a greyish-blue colour 

 externally, but of a bright brown within. 



The pericardium adheres to the sternum, and the heart is flatter than 

 in most animals, both of which circumstances are owing to the flatness 

 of the chest. Three arteries arise from the curvature of the aorta. 

 There is no foramen ovale, nor ductus arteriosus. 



Of the Male Organs' 1 . — The testicles are pretty large, lying beyond 

 the pubis on the sides of the rectum, which is continued a considerable 

 way beyond the pubis. They have no scrotum ; so that the testicles 

 are hardly perceivable when the skin is on. The vaginal tunic is large ; 

 so that when we pull by the spermatic chord, from the abdomen, we 

 can easily pull the testicle into that cavity ; and they are probably often 



1 [Home, Comp. Anat. i. p. 452.] 



2 [Hunt. Preps. Nos. 2483 — 2487 ; the female organs are shown in No. 2742.] 



