a doubtful amphibious Animal of Germany. 249 
almost filled by the liver, which extended from the thorax 
down to the pelvis, so as to cover all the viscera, except the 
heart, the upper part of the lungs, the left half of the stomach, 
the gall-bladder, and the lower intestines. 
The heart lies in the middle of the chest, or rather of the 
neck, above the insertion of the fore-feet : it is inclosed in an 
ample pericardium, formed by a simple thin membrane, at- 
tached to the upper part of the lungs, and to the surrounding 
muscles of the body. 
On account of the width of the pericardium, the heart seems 
very large, and oval; it is, however, really small, and consists of 
a single ventricle, and a single auricle, as large as the ventricle, 
but a little flatter, finely serrated on its upper edge, and situated 
upon the upper part of the ventricle, a little towards the left. 
I could distinguish only two considerable blood vessels in 
connection with the heart on its right side, where the auricle 
formed an angle with the ventricle. One of them, which was 
short, but pretty large, goes up perpendicularly, forming two 
enlargements, and divides, a little above the upper edge of the 
auricle, into two branches, which seem to take their direction 
towards the branchial appendages. 
The other and longer vessel, which comes from the same 
part of the heart, below the former, goes straight down, turns in 
a little below the point of the heart, and forms there a consi- 
derable enlargement, just over and upon the lungs ; then runs 
down in the middle of them, until it reaches the point of the liver, 
in the description of which, its farther course will be mentioned. 
Besides these two vessels, (which by their size, as well as by 
their being filled with coagulated blood after the animal’s death, 
seem to be veins, ) 1 could not pursue the course of any others, 
mdccci. Kk 
