250 ANATOMY OF THE RABBIT 



{e) The bulbourethral or Cowper's gland is a bilobed mass 

 (deep pink in the Hving animal but usually dark coloured 

 in the embalmed specimen) imbedded in the dorsolateral 

 walls of the urethra immediately behind the prostate. 



The above dcsLTibed glands, including the seminal 

 vesicle, contribute to the liquid in which the sperms are 

 transmitted. The seminal vesicle is not a reservoir for 

 storage of sperms. 



3. The internal surface of the dorsal wall of the urethra may be 

 exposed by a longitudinal incision extending into the bladder. 

 The crescentic aperture of the seminal vesicle lies immediately 

 in front of an oval elevation, the colliculus seminalis, on either 

 side of which some of the minute apertures of the prostate and 

 \esicular glands may sometimes be made out. The seminal 

 vesicle should also be cut open. 



The Female Genital Organs 

 1. The organs may be traced from the abdominal cavity backward, 

 as follows: 



(a) The ovary (ovarium) is a small — in young animals minute 

 - — elongated, somewhat flattened, structure of greyish or 

 yellowish coloration lying on the dorsal body-wall some 

 distance behind the kidney. It is readily distinguished 

 by the circular translucent dots representing the larger 

 vesicular ovarian follicles. In some cases the darker 

 radiate impressions (corpora lutea) left by extruded eggs 

 are discernible. 



(b) The mesovarium, a short fold of peritoneum suspending 

 the ovary from the body-wall. 



(c) The internal spermatic artery (a. spermatica interna) 

 arises from the abdominal aorta, immediately behind the 

 origin of the inferior mesenteric artery, and crosses the 

 body-wall transversely to the ovary, giving branches also 

 to the uterine tube. 



(d) The spermatic vein (v. spermatica) leaves the medial side 

 of the ovary and, crossing the body-wall, enters the inferior 

 caval vein. 



