SKIN AND REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS OF NOTORYCTES. 333 



Part V. — Reproductive Organs. 



Urinary and Male Reproductive Organs. 



My observations confirm those of Dr. Stirling as to the 

 position, appearance, structure and relations of the testes, 

 epididymis, vasa deferentia, and their associated blood- 

 vessels; also as to the absence of any external scrotum. The 

 following' additional points are worthy of note. 



Around the base of the thick muscular-walled bladder 

 (PI. 20, figs, 13 — 16, Mr.), and extending over the origin and 

 anterior part of the urethra, is a well-marked glandular part 

 evidently prostatic in chai'acter, and enclosed by a strongly- 

 developed circular muscle coat. Within each of the large 

 muscular bulbs attached to the root of the penis is a well- 

 developed corpus cavernosum with thick fibrous walls. These 

 coi'pora cavernosa leave the muscular masses and approach 

 each other posteriorly in the mid-venti'al line beneath the 

 urethra, forming the " cylindrical body " described by Dr. 

 Stirling [10, p. 182], though, owing to the absence of sections, 

 he was not able to determine the presence of the corpora 

 cavernosa. At the plane of coalescence of the median walls 

 of the corpora cavernosa (PI. 19, fig. 18, c.c), the corpus 

 spongiosum (PJ. 19, fig. 18, c.s.) appears ventral to them again, 

 and with them, extends posteriorly into the penis. This organ 

 lies in a preputial sac ventral to the rectum, and on its dorsal 

 side some distance from the tip (which contains only a blood- 

 vessel) the urethra opens by a long slit-like opening. 



In this region the rectum loses its typical glandular char- 

 acter, the cloaca being lined by a very thick stratified epithe- 

 lium ("095 mm. in thickness), which has a thick, corneous 

 layer. When seen in section, it is very conspicuous when 

 contrasted with the epidermis which consists of two or three 

 layers only ("028 mm. thick) in this region. The lining epi- 

 thelium of the cloaca is also very much folded, and rests 

 iipon a thick layer of submucous connective tissue. Extending 



