92 
Observations on the Natural History 
3. Of the Organs of Digestion, 
The tongue of the Proteus through its greater part, is fleshy, 
and is free both at its apex and on its edges ; it is supported, as 
usual, by the os hyoides. The passage from the fauces to the 
stomach is very short ; nor is it easy to fix the place where the 
oesophagus terminates. The stomach proceeds in a strait line, 
is only a little larger than the intestines ; and, on a first view, 
appears like a portion of them. The membrane that covers the 
fauces, is continued into the stomach and intestines, forming 
various rugae or longitudinal plaits, more than six or seven in 
number. These plaits begin where the oesophagus commen- 
ces ; they gradually disappear towards the middle of the stomach, 
and become again conspicuous as they approach the pylorus, 
where they are more raised than in any other part of the canal. 
The intestines are enveloped in a duplicature of peritonaeum, 
which is continued through their whole length. They are 
formed of very fine and transparent tunics, and make several 
convolutions in their course. Their size is nearly uniform 
throughout. In protei recently taken in summer, they always 
contained foeces ; but in winter, neither the stomach nor intes- 
tines contained any remnants of food. The internal organs of 
generation in the male and female, as well as the kidneys, open 
into the intestines, near the anus. 
The liver begins and terminates in a point ; it is so long, that 
it extends through two thirds of the abdomen. In its left mar- 
gin there are some fissures ; and in one deeper than the rest the 
gall-bladder is lodged. The colour of this vise us is reddish, ap- 
proaching to that of rust of iron ; and its surface is every where 
speckled with small blackish spots. Its figure is convex below, 
and concave above towards the spine. 
The spleen is a finger's breadth in length, and is placed by 
the side of the stomach, to which it is attached by vasa brevia 
and a doubling of the peritoneum. 
The pancreas is only half the length of the spleen ; and is 
attached to that portion of the alimentary canal which is imme- 
diately below the stomach, and called duodenum. 
On the whole, the organs of digestion, as well primary as se- 
condary, much resemble those of the aquatic salamander. In 
these last, however, the stomach is somewhat curved, and placed 
