The Spleen

The spleen (see also p. 798) is mentioned here because of its relationship to the stomach and liver (Fig. 37.18). It is a brownish red sphere, about 2 cm in diameter, and lies in the median plane beside the proventriculus. It contacts the liver cranioventrally (Fig. 37.24/5). The spleen is best exposed during postmortem examination by reflecting the left lobe of the liver and the gizzard, duodenum, and jejunum craniodextrally (Fig. 37.21A). The spleen is triangular in the duck and goose, oval in the pigeon, round in psittacines, and elongated in Passeriformes.