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Show 1 9 0 5 .] VASCULAR SYSTEM OF LACERTILIA. 4 7 9 which runs along the trachea parallel with a tracheal artery referred to. This vein does not exist on the opposite side. (2) The azygos vein is developed on the left side of the body only. (3) There is an unusual series of vestiges of the posterior cardinals, which, like the anterior vestige of the same, the azygos, are upon the left side of the body, and, with the exception of a small twig, not upon the right side. The veins form the dorsal parieto-hepatics, and pour their contents into a common trunk ivhich runs below the liver only in its anterior region, and ujhich receives also branches from the first half of the stomach. (4) The anterior abdominal vein receives the portal just before its entrance into the liver, along which it is not prolonged, and just after the entrance of the portal the posterior part of the epigastric vein. The anterior region of the epigastric vein is either separate from the posterior part or joined by tlie minutest twig; it pours its blood into the liver near to its anterior end. (5) There are gastro-hepatic vessels to the number of four or five in the anterior region of the stomach and liver only. The blood from the posterior region of the stomach is chiefly collected into a vessel which runs back along the stomach and joins the combined portal and anterior abdominal. . (6) The supra-renal portal system consists of two series of vessels, of which one series, consisting of one or more twigs, arises from the parietes laterally; the other series, consisting of one vessel only, arises from the parietes close to the dorsal middle line. Veins also emerge from the parietes and run to the sperm-duct. (7) The kidneys receive blood from the parietes in their neighbourhood by a series of about six veins to each kidney arranged metamerically, and corresponding in point of emergence from the parietes with the more laterally placed supra-renal portals. The two halves of the anterior abdominal, before they join, also give off two twigs to the kidney on each side (8) A lateral abdominal vein is present, which runs along the kidney on the outer side, but dies away before reaching its anterior end. (4) On the Anatomy o f Ampliisbfena brasiliana, particularly of the Vascular System and the Mesenteries. Though a good deal of information concerning the anatomy of this genus of Lacertilia is already contained in zoological literature *, there remain certain matters which have not been exhaustively studied, either in the species (Amphisbcena brasiliana) with which I deal in the communication now submitted to the Society or in other species. I have therefore, in continuation of a series of dissections of the Lacertilia, some of the results of which * The principal anatomical memoirs dealing with tbe viscera are by v. Bedriaga (Arch. f. Naturg. 1884), Smalian (Zeitschr. wiss. Zool. 1885), and Butler (P. Z. S. 1895). In none of these is A. brasiliana dealt with. |
