OF THE SPERM WHALE. 
105 
the left ventricle the wall of the ventricle measured about 
5 inches. The diameter of the coronary artery was l|- 
inches. On the left ventricle being laid open, its capacity 
was guessed by some farming gentleman present to con- 
tain from eight to ten gallons ! The heart was destitute 
of fat^—Camb. Philosophy Trans . 
6 6 The general structure of the arteries^ says Hunter, 
“ resembles that of other animals— and where parts are 
nearly similar, the distribution is likewise similar. The 
aorta forms its usual curve, and sends off the carotid and 
subclavian arteries^—animals of this tribe, as has been 
observed, have a greater proportion of blood than any 
other known, and there are many arteries apparently 
intended as reservoirs, where a larger quantity of arterial 
blood seemed to be required in a part, and vascularity 
could not be the only object. Thus we find that the 
intercostal arteries divide into a vast number of branches, 
which run in a serpentine course between the pleurae 
ribs and their muscles, making a thick substance some- 
what similar to that formed by the spermatic artery in 
the bulk 
These vessels, everywhere lining the sides of the 
thorax, pass in between the ribs near their articulation, 
and also behind the ligamentous attachments of the ribs, 
and anastomose with each other. The medulla spinalis 
is surrounded with a net-work of arteries in the same 
manner, more especially where it comes out from the 
brain, where a thick substance is formed by their rami- 
fications and convolutions, and these vessels most pro- 
bably anastomose with those of the thorax. 5 ’ 
f 2 
