530 FEMALE UROGENITAL ORGANS IN THE MARSUPIALIA, 



passage (PL xxix.). Such clots, however, are limited mainly to 

 the more anteriorly situated portion of the passage. In the con- 

 nective tissue leucocytes are also present in considerable numbers. 

 Posteriorly the passage becomes much reduced in size, appearing 

 in section as a transversely extended narrow cleft. Through an 

 unfortunate accident I was unable to see the hinder opening of 

 the passage in this set of organs. 



In (b) the body of the left uterus measured 23 by 15 mm. I 

 consider the female from which this set of organs was taken had 

 given birth to the young one within the previous twenty-four 

 hours. Both in this set of organs and in the next (c) the vaginal 

 septum is represented by low dorsal and ventral folds with 

 uniform free margins. 



The sectional appearances presented are essentially the same 

 as in the preceding set of organs. The pseudo-vaginal passage 

 continues back from the median vagina as a quite irregular space 

 in the connective tissue. It lies at first ventrally to the two 

 lateral vaginae, but posteriorly it is situated between the ventral 

 halves of the same. In front the passage has the same irregular 

 outline as in (a). The connective tissue projects in the same 

 irregular fashion into its lumen, and presents the same torn and 

 ragged appearance. Extravasated blood is present in the con- 

 nective tissue around the anterior portion of the passage, but in 

 much less quantity than in (a). In the hinder part uf its 

 extent the passage has, as in (a), the form of a narrow cleft, 

 which finally opens into one of the lateral canals immediately in 

 front of the anterior end of the urogenital sinus. As in Dasyurus 

 the aperture of communication is a long slit-like break in the 

 epithelium lining the canal. 



The third set of organs (c) was taken from a female with an 

 18-5 mm. young one in the pouch. The body of the left uterus 

 measured 18 by 12 mm. A recently born young one in my 

 collection measures in greatest length 15 mm. According to 

 Broom* " the average size is a little over 14 mm " (p. 720). The 

 18-5 mm. young one is probably not more than ten days old. 



* Broom, B. " A Contribution to the Development of the Common 

 Phalanger." Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S. Wales, 1S98, Part 4. 



