126 



MAMMALIA. 



[Chap. III. 



Whilst Professor Owen was advancing this conjecture, 

 another comparative anatomist, from the examination of 

 another portion of the structure of the elephant, was led 

 to a somewhat similar conclusion. Dr. Harrison of 

 Dublin had, in 1847, an opportunity of dissecting the 

 body of an elephant which had suddenly died ; and in 

 the course of his examination of the thoracic viscera, he 

 observed that an unusually close connection existed 

 between the trachea and oesophagus, which he found to 

 depend on a muscle unnoticed by any previous anatomist, 

 connecting the back of the former with the forepart of 

 the latter, along which the fibres descend and can be dis- 

 tinctly traced to tt|£ cardiac orifice of the stomach. 



Imperfectly acquainted with the habits and functions of 

 the elephant in a state of nature, Dr. Harrison found it 

 difficult to pronounce as to the use of this very peculiar 



