69 



is somewhat fewer. The multi-layered type of acinus has fewer layers 

 of cells than in the fully active gland. 



In a young animal taken on June 28th the glands do not differ 

 to any great extent from those just mentioned. 



The acini are in various stages of development, and the fibrous 

 tissue is more abundant. The multi-layered type of acinus apparently 

 predominates, and contains a very large number of extruded nuclei: 

 while the actual secretion is scanty in amount. Many of the acini 

 are represented by fibrous tissue. Several of them show epithelial 

 buds, presumably the forerunners of additional acini. 



No muscle can be demonstrated. 



Conclusions. It is evident, then, that these glands in a sex- 

 ually active hedgehog are composed of two distinct kinds of secreting 

 acini; one lined by a single layer of columnar cells and the other by 

 many layers of polyhedral cells. A large quantity of secretion is pro- 

 duced — the exact nature of which is as yet undetermined — and in 

 the secretion is an enormous number of small rounded bodies, which 

 apparently are extruded nuclei. The presence of these latter, and of 

 the multi-layered type of acinus, markedly differentiates this from the 

 true prostate, and there seems to be no reason why the glands under 

 discussion should be named the "second prostate" — at least, so far 

 as their histology is concerned. So far as I am aware, the course of 

 their development is as yet unknown. Were this to be investigated 

 it would probably throw some light upon the supposed relationship of 

 this gland to the prostate. A chemical analysis of the secretions is 

 also desirable, as it appears from a microscopical and naked eye 

 examination that there are considerable differences among them. 



Leydig's objection to call these glands "Cowper's" because they 

 differ histologically from the usual glands considered under that name 

 certainly seems to be sound; but it is reasonable to assume that em- 

 bryological evidence — absent in the case under discussion — should 

 take precedence over histological characters. 



References. 



1) OuDEMANS, J. T., Die accessorischen Geschlechtsdrüsen der Säuge- 

 tiere. Vergleichend-anatomische Untersuchung. 



2) Leydig, f., Zur Anatomie der männlichen Geschlechtsorgane und 

 Analdrüsen der Säugetiere. Zeitschr. f. wissensch. Zoologie, Bd. 2, 

 1850, p. 1—57. 



3) Müller, Joh., De glandularum secernentium structura penitiori. 

 Lipsiae, 1830. (Quoted by Leydig.) 



