The mechanical behavior of isolated segments of rabbit distal colon was studied by experimental and theoretical techniques. The isometric isovolumic preparation was adopted to obtain records of endoluminal pressure, force, and wall morphology during 59 spontaneous and 53 electrostimulated peristaltic contractions. On strips of longitudinal and circular muscle, excised from the same segments, the tension-velocity and tension-length relationships were also measured. To describe mechanical events occurring during propulsion, a mathematical model was developed that incorporates the measured characteristics of the muscle. In response to given waveforms for the activation of the two muscular coats, the solution of model equations provides the time courses of pressure, force, and wall morphology. A number of parameters measured in the experimental contractions (e.g., pressure and force peaks, time lag between the stimulus and the peaks, velocity of progression of the peristaltic wave) were compared with model outputs, and a similar pattern of response was found. Therefore the model made it possible to relate segment and strip experimental data and to investigate the temporal and quantitative relationship between the contraction of longitudinal and circular layer.