OCR Text |
Show 1870.] DR. J. MURIE ON SAIGA TARTARICA. 491 the parotid (fig. 8, P.gl.) needs be mentioned, as of very large wide, flat, and coarse in texture, as, indeed, is the case throughout the larger Bovidae. Stenon's duct (St.d.) is capacious and long, curves round the mandibular angle in company with the facial vein (F.v.), dips into the cheek-tissues, and finally opens by a papillary orifice close behind the angle of the mouth. In the Common Goat Stenon's duct opens much further back in the mouth. There is a small flat glandular mass (fig. 8, Gl. s), spread thinly upon the surface of the buccinator muscle, and entirely separate from the parotid, though in connexion with the Stenon's duct. This buccal gland may be the homologue of the so-called socia parotidis in Man, here thrown considerably forward, and quite isolated from the parotid itself. The submaxillary gland appears closely commingled with the parotid. The sublingual gland is well developed, lies in the usual situation alongside the tongue, and is very elongate, corresponding with the shape of the latter organ. The large dimensions of each and all of these salivary apparatus is not peculiar to the Saiga; for, as is well known, in the whole of the ruminants it attains considerable volume. 5. Vocal and Respiratory Tract. When the pharyngeal wall is cut through and reflected, the upper laryngeal parts present the following aspect (vide C, fig. 11) :-The aryteno-epiglottic folds are large, and lie outwards, giving breadth to the deeply excavated laryngeal opening. The glottis is an elongate arrow-headed fissure, wide in front and narrowed behind. The posterior floor or basal end of epiglottis has two parallel longitudinal narrow ridges, which descend towards the rimal aperture. Outside the aryteno-epiglottic folds and between them and the thyroid cartilaginous alae are deep and wide cavities (exterior laryngeal pouch, l.p), the posterior ends of which curve inwards. Bounding the narrowed binder end of the glottis are two long narrow membrano-fatty projections, which unite behind and thus form a compressed V-figure ; these (lettered s.p, in cuts A, B, D, fig. 11) are eminences produced by thickened tissues surmounting the upper border of the cartilaginous plates of Santorini, or, possibly, combined with these cuneiform cartilages. With its side folds, the epiglottis looks full, is somewhat triangular in outline, and less than an inch in its diameters. A deeper dissection of the upper laryngeal cavity, as in the side view B and upper view D, shows that this is capacious, and that the walls, both laterally and in front, are padded with fatty matter (f). This, with its mucous lining, forms numerous thick longitudinal folds; and quite in front is a sulcus, which, descending, leads into a small pouched cavity within the depending globosity of the thyroid cartilage. This recess, hidden by the folds spoken of, is slightly locular or gland-pitted within. The chink of the glottis (g), commencing immediately behind this pouch, has an antero-posterior diameter of 2 inches. Its anterior half is bounded by two consider- |