1867.] 



On the Muscular Fibres of the Stomach. 



65 



The myology of the different regions of the animal has been closely 

 investigated, especially the rudimentary muscles of the paddle, which 

 latter the authors have minutely examined. 



The anatomy of the mouth, pharynx, and blowholes is described, and 

 the mechanism by which the functions of respiration and deglutition 

 are performed. In connexion with the larynx, a remarkable muscular 

 pouch is mentioned as existing, which appendage is supposed by the 

 authors to be accessory to the act of expiration, serving a somewhat 

 similar office to that of the air-reservoir in a double-action bellows. 

 Directly in front of the glottis there existed a peculiar hood-like fold of 

 mucous membrane arranged in such a way as to allow of its being 

 drawn over the orifice, and so prevent the entrance of all foreign sub- 

 stances into the respiratory tract during the act of deglutition. 



The tongue was found fixed, as far as its tip, by a thick frsenum. 

 The lateral walls of the submaxillary cavity were thrown into folds, 

 thereby admitting of considerable distention, this arrangement being 

 peculiarly adapted to the feeding requirements of the animal. The 

 number of baleen plates found in the specimen was 280 on each side. 



The muscles for acting on the blowholes were arranged in three 

 strata, the superficial and deepest layers being used in opening, and the 

 intermediate one for closing the nasal canals. 



The anatomy of the eye and ear is fully described in the original 

 paper, together with that of the digestive, nervous, and vascular 

 systems ; in connexion with this last, remarkable vascular retia were 

 found, situated in the axillary, submaxillary and cervical regions. 



In the preceding brief abstract the writers have endeavoured to give 

 an outline of their numerous observations on the anatomy of this Ceta- 

 cean, believing that it presents many features of novelty and interest 

 not hitherto recorded. 



XV. " On the Distribution of the Fibres in the Muscular Tunics of 

 the Stomach in Man and other Mammalia.^^ By James Bell 

 Pettigrew, M.D. Communicated by George Busk, Esq. 

 Received June 20, 1867. 



(Abstract.) 



The author of the present memoir has examined in succession the 

 stomach of the several domestic animals, the Whale, Porpoise, Bear, 

 Puma, Sloth, Coebus Monkey, Howling Monkey, Orang-Otang, Chim- 

 panzee, and particularly Man, both in the foetal and adult state. 



The plan adopted in the examination was to distend the viscus im- 

 mediately after its removal from the body with water or air, and view 

 it as a transparent object ; to blanch the stomach by maceration, and 

 distend it with plaster of Paris, tinted with blue, or to stain the parietes 

 with carmine and inject with, white plaster, the object in either case 



VOL. XVI. F 



