CH. LVIII.] DEVELOPMENT OF GENERATIVE ORGANS. 



86l 



the inguinal canal) to the front of the pubes and lower part of 

 the scrotum, was the agent by the contraction of which the 

 descent was effected. It is now generally thought, however, that 

 such is not the case, and that the descent of the testicle and 

 ovary is rather the result of a general process of development in 

 these and neighbouring parts, the tendency of which is to pro- 

 duce this change in the relative position of these organs. In 

 other words, the descent is not the result of a mere mechanical 



"9 



fig. 681. Diagram of the Wolffian bodied, MuUerian ducts and adjacent parts previous to 

 exual diHtmi'tion, ait aeen from before. *r, the Hupra-renal bodis ; r, the kidneys ; 

 of, common blastema of ovaricw or tenticles ; W, Wolffian bodies ; u>, Wolffian ducts ; 

 mm, MUUerian ducts ; <j c, genital cord ; uy, Minus urogenitalia ; i, intestine ; cl, cloaca. 

 (Allen Thomson.) 



action, by which the organ is dragged down to a lower position, 

 but rather one change out of many which attend the gradual 

 development and rearrangement of these organs. 



The homologue, in the female, of the gubernaculum testis is a 

 structure called the round ligament of the uterus, which extends 

 through the inguinal canal, from the outer and upper part of 

 the uterus to the subcutaneous tissue in front of the symphysis 

 pubis. 



At a very early stage of foetal life, the Wolffian ducts, ureters, 



