Structure and 0 economy of Whales. 405 
The oefophagus, as in other animals, begins at the fauces, 
or pofterior part of the mouth ; and, although circular at this 
part, is foon divided into two pafifages by the epiglottis palling 
acrofs it, as will be defcribcd hereafter. Below its attachment to 
the trachea, it paftes down in the pofterior mediaftinum, at 
fome diftance from the fpine, to which it is attached by a 
broad part of the fame membrane, and its anterior furface 
makes the pofterior part of a cavity behind the pericar- 
dium. 
Palling through the diaphragm it enters the ftomach, and is 
lined with a very thick, foft, and white cuticle, which is con- 
tinued into the firft cavity of the ftomacl*. 
The inner, or true coat, is white, of a confiderable denfity, 
and not mufcular ; but thrown into large longitudinal folds by 
the contraction of the mufcular fibres of the oefophagus, which 
are very ftrong. It is very glandular ; for on its inner furface, 
efpecially near the fauces,, orifices of a- vaft number of glands 
are vifible. 
The oefophagus is larger in proportion to die bulk of the 
animal than in the quadruped, although not fo much fo as it 
ufually is in filh, which we may fuppofe fwallow their food 
much in the fame way. fin the Piked Whale it was three 
inches and an half wide. 
The ftomach, as in other animals, lies on the left fide of 
the body, and terminates in the pylorus towards the right. 
The duodenum paftes down on the right fide, very much as 
in the human fubjeft, excepting that it is more expofed from 
the colon not crofting it. It lies on the right kidney, and 
then paftes to the left fide behind the afcending part of the 
colon and root of the mefentery, comes out on the left fide, 
and getting on the edge of the mefentery becomes a loofe in- 
teftine ? 
