336 GEORGINA SWEET. 



such as surrounds the anal gland ; and also from the fact 

 that the secretion of both is necrobiotic involving the death 

 of the cells [2, p. 29]. Of the fourth type of gland 

 described by V. Den Broek [1, p. 1G3] there is no special 

 representative in Notoryctes. 



Female Reproductive Organs. 



It is of especial interest to note the relations and compara- 

 tive morphology of these organs in all Marsupials since 

 Professor HilFs valuable work on those in Perameles. 



Hence to the admittedly incomplete description and some- 

 what erroneous figure given by Dr. Stirling, and the brief 

 comments of Professor Spencer, further details are here 

 added, together with the necessary figures. The whole of 

 these organs have been examined by means of several sets 

 of serial sections, and in addition by dissection. 



The various relations herein described may be better 

 understood by reference to the accompanying text-figure, in 

 which the parts are represented as seen from the ventral 

 surface, and to scale as far as is possible for serial sections. 



In Notoryctes, as in some other marsupials, there are in 

 addition to the ovaries, oviducts, uteri, and vaginas proper, 

 two lateral vaginal canals, with vaginal caeca, and a median 

 vaginal apparatus. The bodies of the uteri (text-figure 

 ^lt. h.) are much twisted, and their internal surface is folded 

 and glandular. They lie ventrally to the rectum with their 

 mesial surfaces almost touching in the middle line anteriorly, 

 while posteriorly they are separated by the anterior end of 

 the bladder {ant. b. of Mr.). Their posterior ends appi'oach 

 each other almost transversely to the length of the animal, 

 to enter the uterine necks {nt. n.), which are much smaller 

 and lie close together ventrally to the rectum, and dorsally 

 to the fundus of the bladder (see PI. 20, fig. 13, nt. n.). 

 The convoluted bodies of the uteri may in some extend for a 

 short distance alongside the bladder, and ventral to the 



