joining others, or to an increase of substance at certain points of junction, of the
retiform connective tissue. Eilling the interspaces is the more pulpy subtance
composed of innumerable cells and granules, and occasionally aggregations of both,
in some places thinner, in others thicker, as the case may be. These nucleated
cells or globules correspond in size, shape, and general appearance to ordinary
lymph corpuscles, which they doubtless are. The stellate appearance, above mentioned,
in the fibrous net-work or trabecular frame-work is due in some instances to
more closely adherent masses of these corpuscles, in others to the junction of
spindle-shaped cells of the trabeculaa.
Scattered throughout the gland tissues may be observed some unequally shaped
open spaces which presumably may be regarded as the so-called, lymph sinuses.
Lastly, it may be noticed, that although throughout the general glandular substance
there does not clearly seem to be a true vascular rete mirabile, nevertheless there
exists towards the surface of the gland a layer which assumes this character. This
layer on cross-sections shows a congeries of vessels of a variety of sizes matted
together and to some extent in intercommunication. These vessels are distributed
through a mass of elastic fibres, and, here and there, linear, elongate but narrow, or
large elliptical vacuities exist. These last may . be the venous channels, but the
exact relation and office of the lacunae or vacuities it is difficult to make out
satisfactorily.
"While thus we have, not only in the stomach, but elsewhere, in this Cetacean,
as I shall afterwards mention, large lymphatic glands, enclosed as it were in blood-
- channels and doubtlessly in close physiological connection with them, the precise
intercommunication of the lymph and blood in these organs, and whether it has any
connection with or relation to the habitat and habits of Cetacea,, are obscure
. problems yet to be solved.1
Relations o f omentum to the viscera.—Tracing it from the angle of union of
the first and second stomachs, it arches round to the lower curvature of the first
mentioned of these two cavities until it reaches the -notch at its left end ; this
marks the beginning of the third stomach along the lower curvature, where it passes
and is continued for an inch on to the duodenum, PI. XXVII, fig. 13. Leaving the
duodenum it turns to the left and is attached along the lower border of the pancreas.
But the gastro-duodenal artery, as it courses forwards behind the duodenum,
carries with it a fold of omentum up to the septum of the third stomach, so that a
small omental sac exists at that point where the artery reaches the third stomach,
and another and much larger sac lies to the right and somewhat behind the former
and is, produced by the free forward arching of the artery. The omentum is
prolonged along the left border of the pancreas a short way along its anterior
margin, thence passes to the left to be attached to the apex of the first stomach,
thus giving rise to a large sac, extending from the duodenum to the last mentioned
locality, and thus enclosing the pancreas and the two small sacculations already
See Turner and Marie's remarks and reflections on this subject in the Memoirs already quoted.
described. From the apex of the first stomach it is prolonged along the- upper
b o r d e r of the spleen for two-thirds of its extent, and leaving that gland courses
upwards along the inferior border of the round gland splenule which is in such dose
: relationship with the spleen and whioh is thus situated on the great sac of the
omentum. I t then is attached in a great curve along the anterior, faoe of -the first
■stomach up to the point at which we started.
Tmcreas.—This gland, wholly hidden hy the third cavity, of the- stomach,
extends between the right extremity of the first stomach and the commencement of
the duodenum. I t is firmly attached to the portal vein, which it almost- wholly
embraces, and also to the duodenal attachment of the gastro-duodenal artery. -Its
-inferior extremity is immediately above the spleen, hut separated from it by the
intervening attachment of the omentum. -Above the extremity pf the first stomach,
it lies side hy side with the large gland of the first stomach. It does not-, reach the
anterior surface, as already stated, but when the fiver is cut away, it is observed
surrounding the ducts and vessels of that gland, and a small process lies to the, right
Of the duct in the angle formed hy the third stomach and the duodenum, and another
long portion to the right of the portal vein. I t is; placed obliquely, from the
left forwards to the right, and is nearly oblong in form, with a small offshoot to the
wall of the gastro-duodenal artery. I t is four inohes long, by one and a half inch
in breadth. I t opens into the ductus communis choledochus hy two wide orifices,
lying one before the other in front of the portal vein as it enters the fiver. Each
orifice is. a- quarter of an inch in diameter, and they are separated from one another by
an interval of extent. The most anterior of the ducts arises from the anterior
half of the gland, and is of sufficient capacity to admit a crow-quill for 3 inches
of its extent, and the posterior duct has a similar diameter, and arises in the hinder
half- of the gland. The orifices of the, ducts are thrown into thick folds, and when
laid open-the .channels are seen to be,, covered with a smooth mucous membrane,
which is thrown into pits and depressions defined hy strands of the mucous membrane,
minute orifices opening into the pits and depressions.
. Spleen.—This is attached to the, lower, border of the first stomach and lies
immediately below the extremity of, the seoond stomach, hut separated from it by
a wide interval.(El. XXVII, figs. 11 and -13). Its length is 2-28 inches and its
breadth 1 inch, and it is placed transversely. I t is cordate in form, and the base of
'the heart-shaped body which is to the right, in one specimen is capped by a button-
shaped pedunculated portion of the gland. The body of the gland is attached
along nearly the whole of its length,.and it is thus sessile. The, spongy texture of
the body of the gland is not continued directly into the button-like splenule, because
the latter is contained in a distinct capsule of its own, hut there is a fibrous thickening
of the concavity of the base of the body of the gland, through which the vessels
enter. . In close relation to the left end. of. the spleen in the same speoimen, there
is a pedunculated laterally compressed rounded splenule O'-TO in diameter and 0-25
inch in thickness, but it is absent in another stomach. . The trabecular substance is
resolvable into.-two well-marked portions, an external and internal;, the former con