150 NOTKS ON MAlISri'IAMAN ANATOMY, 



the MarsupiaJia wcrp cont. iit to describe its external form, 

 without paying any atiention to its minute etiuclure. 

 Home made the statement that the clitoris in mamupials is 

 comparatively large. Owen is responsible for the assertion 

 that in those genera of marsupials in which the male lias a 

 divided penis, the female possesses a, correspondingly split 

 clitoris. Brass concurred in this view, but it was shown 

 by Hill not to be the case in Perameles. Van den Eroek 

 later showed in detail that a relation exists between the 

 sinus vaginalis (median vaginal apparatus) and the clitoris, 

 in that a split clitoris is found in those marsupials in wnieh 

 the median vaginal cul-de-sacs ai'e completely separated, 

 while in those forms prssessing a single median vagina the 

 clitoris is correspondingly simple and undivided. This 

 latter cjuse is characteristic of the Macropods. 



As regards the minuter structure of the clitoris, it was 

 first attempted in the case of Perameles by Hill, and was 

 continued bv Van den Bi'oek for the genera Phascolarctos. 

 Phascolomys, Halmaturus, Didclphys. and others. As a 

 result, the latter writer was able to deduce some generali- 

 ties on the structure and insertion of the clitoris in vhis 

 group. Histologically, be found that all marsupials possess- 

 ed a median septum clitoridis complete or incomplete, and 

 that the erectile tissvie of the clitoris formed either a single 

 or a pancd mass. The insertion of the clitoris may take 

 place by means of an intei'x'ening septum clitoridis, which 

 gradually disappears craniallv. or, as in Didelphys. no such 

 preputium mav be present, when the insertion takes place 

 bv mere approximation of the ventral wall of the clitoris 

 on the wall of the cloaca, the epithelial septum so formed 

 afterwards disappearing craniaiiv. 



In Sarcophilus. I find that the clitoris pos.sesses struc- 

 turally features of interest which, in the present early state 

 of our knowledge of this organ in marsupials, make it 

 worthy of desci'iption. 



EXTERNAL FEATURES OF THE CLITORIS. 



The organ with its surroundings is shown in Fig. 4. 



Looked at from above the clitoris presents two well- 

 marked lateral portions, united towards the aijex. and 

 diverging considerably towards the base. The line of 

 union is shown just in front of the apex by a fine, narrow, 



