CAPILLARY

is a blood ve el, microscopic in size, which connects an artery to a vein. A network of capillarics is present in all parts of the body except the hair, the nails, the surface of the skin, the gristle, and the transparent part of the ecye-ball, Capillaries were first demonstrated by Malpighi in 1661. The name is derived from capilla, « hair, though capillaries are really of much smaller diameter. [s. 341]