178 ELEMENTS OF MAMMALIAN ANATOMY. 



ing of the broad ligament when the latter is looked 

 through toward the light. The round ligament extends 

 from about the middle of the horn or cornu of the uterus 

 ventrad of Poupart's ligament, and through the muscles 

 of the abdominal wall beneath the skin of the inguinal 

 region, where it gradually loses itself. It is exceedingly 

 delicate and thread-like. 



The vagina extends from the uterus to the vestibule, 

 opening on the surface ventrad to the anus. The small 

 papilla just caudad of the orifice of the urethra on the 

 ventral surface of the vestibule is the clitoris, the homo- 

 logue of a part of the penis in the male. The prominent 

 circular fold of mucous membrane cephalad of the orifice 

 of the urethra represents the hymen, which marks the 

 separation between the vagina and vestibule. This struc- 

 ture may be shown by making a median longitudinal 

 section through the vagina. Bartholin's glands lie on the 

 lateral aspect of the vestibule, into which their ducts 

 open. Each one is about the size of a small pea. The 

 vagina, uterus, and Fallopian tubes are lined with mucous 

 membrane in which are many glands. The mucous lining 

 is surrounded by a muscular coat especially thick in the 

 uterus. 



The ovaries are the organs producing the female germ 

 cells or ova which when fertilized are known as the eggs 

 (Figs. 54 and 83). One lies caudad of the kidney on each 

 side and is invested by peritoneum, which should be care- 

 fully dissected away. A microscopically prepared section 

 of the adult ovary magnified about 100 diameters will 

 reveal a number of ova in a more or less mature state. 

 Usually a peripheral ring of very young ova is present, 

 more mature ones are near the center, while one or two 

 quite ripe ova are very near the circumference. As the 

 ova develop, a follicle or sac known as the Qraafian 



