ON GENERATION. 489 



taneously; each floated distinctly within the fluid of its own 

 amnion ; but although one lay in the right, the other in the 

 left horn of the uterus, they were still both included in the 

 same double sac or wallet, both belonged to the same ovum, 

 and were surrounded by the same common external fluid. The 

 mouth was large, but the eyes were mere points, so that they 

 could scarcely be seen, very different, therefore, from what occurs 

 among birds. The viscera in these embryos were also pendu- 

 lous without the body, not yet inclosed within the appropriate 

 cavities. The outer membrane or chorion adhered in no way 

 to the uterus, so that the entire conception was readily removed. 

 Within the substance of the chorion innumerable branches of 

 the umbilical vessels were conspicuous, but having no connexion 

 whatsoever with the walls of the uterus ; a circumstance to which 

 allusion has already been made in the case of the deer; the 

 distribution was in fact very much as we have found it on the 

 external tunic of the hen's egg. There were but two hu- 

 mours, and the same number of containing tunics, of which the 

 chorion extending through both cornua, and full of a more 

 turbid fluid, gave general configuration to the ovum or concep- 

 tion. The tunica amnios again is almost invisible, like the 

 tunica arachnoides of the eye, and embraces the crystalline 

 humour in which the embryo floats. 



The fluid of the amnion was, in proportion, but a hundredth, 

 or shall I say a thousandth, to that of the chorion ; although 

 the crystalline humour of the amnion was still in such quantity 

 that no one could reasonably imagine it to be the sweat of the 

 very small embryo that floated within it. It was, further, ex- 

 tremely limpid, and seemed to be without anything like bad taste 

 or smell. It was, as we have already observed of the deer, in all 

 respects like watery milk, and had none of the obnoxious qua- 

 lities of an excrement. I add, that if this fluid were of an 

 excrementitious nature it ought to increase in quantity with 

 the growth of the foetus. But I have found precisely the 

 opposite of this to obtain in the conception of the ewe, so that 

 shortly before she lambs there is scarce a drop of the fluid in 

 question remaining. I am, therefore, rather inclined to regard 

 it as aliment than as excrement. 



The internal tunic of the uterus of the ewe is covered with 

 caruncles innumerable, as the heavens are with stars. These 



