246 
DBS. A. CAETE AND A. MACALISTEE ON THE 
superior aspect of the pharynx, along which it stretched for about 9 inches, passing 
forwards as far as the base of the skull. 
The stylopharyngeus was a strong round fleshy band ; it arose external to the basilar 
process of the occipital bone, crossed over the middle of the anterior fibres of the last 
muscle, and was inserted into the median raphe. 
The inferior constrictor took its origin from the whole length of the posterior border 
of the thyroid cartilage ; its fibres passed inwards, and were inserted into the posterior 
portion of the median raphe for an extent of about 11 inches. 
These two constrictors were separated by the glossopharyngeal nerve and the kerato- 
pharyngeal muscle. 
From the lower border of the pharynx, and on a level with the posterior margin of 
the cricoid cartilage, the oesophagus was continued through the posterior mediastinum 
for the length of about 18 inches, where it terminated at the cardiac orifice of the stomach. 
The oesophagus measured 5 inches in circumference, and presented the usual number 
of coats, viz. cellular, longitudinal, circular muscular, and mucous ; the last, or mucous, 
was covered with a thick, softish, easily detached epithelium, which was only connected 
closely to the subjacent basement layer by the processes which it sent in through the 
numerous mucous crypts ; these latter were arranged in longitudinal rows extending 
the entire length of the tube. Intervening between these series of apertures were rugae 
whose direction was principally longitudinal, their use being to facilitate distension ; the 
rugae became smaller and more irregularly placed as they approached the cardiac orifice, 
where their direction and appearance became more assimilated to those on the mucous 
surface of the first stomach. The entire thickness of the wall of the oesophagus mea- 
sured \ of an inch. 
The gastric cavities were five in number, well covered with peritoneum ; of these the 
second was the largest, and the third much the smallest. 
The first stomach was somewhat oblong in shape ; it measured 12f inches in length 
and 20 inches in circumference at its central part ; the spleen was closely connected to 
its fundus by a short gastro, splenic omentum. The wall of this cavity was f of an inch 
thick, was strong and firm, and divisible into the following layers, viz. first, peritoneal ; 
second, longitudinal muscular, very well developed ; third, circular muscular ; fourth, 
fibrous, firm, in colour white, and about half a line thick ; fifth, a thin pulpy layer of 
fatty material of a light yellowish colour ; sixth, a white soft areolar^ lamina containing 
nerves ; seventh, a second bright yellow fatty layer similar to the fifth ; eighth, basement 
vascular layer of mucous membrane ; and ninth, epithelial or cuticular coat. The only 
thing found in this cavity was the crystalline lens of a small fish, which corroborates the 
statement of Lilljeboeg that this animal feeds occasionally on fish. 
On opening the stomach its lining membrane presented a very remarkable rugose 
appearance, the long axis of the rugae running transversely from right to left, each fold 
being about a line in depth ; from these primary transverse ridges secondary spurs were 
continued at unequal intervals, thus giving the whole surface a minutely convoluted 
cerebriform appearance. 
