ON THE ANATOMY OF THE NORTHERN BELUGA. 403 
only canals between the true digestive chambers, as is shown above.” Dr 
Morie’s opinion upon a subject of this kind is undoubtedly entitled to much 
weight, but we may be excused if we feel compelled to doubt the cogency of 
the arguments adduced in support of it. The diminutive size of what we 
regard as the third stomach in Beluga and Gilobiocephalus does not, it seems 
to us, militate against the view that the cavity ought to be regarded as a true 
stomach, inasmuch as we know that in many animals, ¢.g., birds, the true 
digestive juices are secreted by a glandular patch of extremely limited size as 
compared with the bulk of the stomach as a whole. That the cavity in ques- 
tion is not a free chamber, we are inclined to doubt, at least so far as Beluga is 
concerned ; for, as the preceding description distinctly shows, the cavity is 
prolonged as a cul-de-sac in front of the most anterior of the two openings, by 
means of which it communicates with the neighbouring compartments. Add 
to which that in both Beluga and G'lobiocephalus the apertures of communica- 
tion between the third compartment on the one hand, and the second and fourth 
on the other, are much narrower than the cavity itself, and it appears to us that 
the analogy between the latter and the passage of the bile duct through the 
walls of the intestine is satisfactorily disposed of. Professor TuRNER* observes 
in his description of the stomach of Globiocephalus, that the iucous membrane 
of the third compartment “presented a few faintly-marked folds and gland 
orifices.” The presence of the latter appears to us to be incompatible with 
Dr Murie’s observation of the ‘smooth mucous membrane showing few or no 
traces of digestion taking place therein.” The fact that both Grampus and 
Balenoptera present traces of a similar structure, tends rather to support the 
view that Dr Murie’s so-called passage ought to be regarded as a true stomach, 
inasmuch as it is difficult to understand why, in the case of these different 
cetacea, an elongated passage occupying a definite position with reference to the 
other compartments should be substituted for the simpler arrangement, by 
means of which the first and second or the fourth and fifth compartments com- 
municate with each other, if its function be merely that of a conduit, and not 
_ that of a true digestive cavity. Taking all the facts into consideration, there- 
_ fore, we incline to the view that the third gastric cavity above described ought 
to be regarded as a true digestive organ rather than as a mere passage between 
the neighbouring compartments,—a view in which we are supported by the 
authority of both Dr Jacxsont and Professor Turner,{ founded upon an 
examination of the stomach of Globiocephalus. 
Be this as it may, the table serves to show that in the majority of the 
toothed whales, in accordance with the observations of the greater number of 
anatomists, the stomach is divided into five distinct compartments. In this 
* IX, p. 72. + IV. p. 160. PIOGeon 40) 
