CHAP. VIIL] ORGANS OF RESPIRATION AND SECRETION. 247 



papillae. Anteriorly the cornua terminate by receiving the openings 

 of the Fallopian tubes. 



The organ is formed of a mass of organic muscular fibre and 

 fibrous tissue (richly supplied with vessels and nerves) and is lined 

 with mucous membrane beset with simple tubular glands, which upon 

 its interior surface is coated with columnar and ciliated epithelium. 



The uterus is the organ destined to shelter and nourish the ova 

 from shortly after their impregnation till the litter is brought forth. 

 This period is that of "pregnancy/' and during it the organ in- 

 creases enormously in size and capacity and in the quantity of 

 muscular tissue it contains. 



The size of the uterus therefore varies extremely, according to 

 whether it does or does not contain ova in process of develop- 

 ment, and according to the development which such ova may have 

 attained. The time of carrying the kittens within it, i.e., the 

 period of gestation, having come to an end, the uterus begins to 

 undergo powerful contractions till its contents are expelled in the 

 act of giving birth, or parturition. This act accomplished, the 

 organ begins again to diminish, many of its muscular fibres undergo 

 a transformation into fatty matter and are then absorbed, and it 

 soon returns nearly to the size which it had before impregnation. 



The uterus is held in place, partly by its continuity with the 

 Fallopian tubes and vagina, partly by ligaments called respectively 

 " broad," " ovarian " and " round." The broad ligaments are great 

 lateral folds of peritoneum which embrace the uterus with its 

 cornua and the Fallopian tubes and ovary. The ovarian ligaments 

 are short fibrous cords which extend one from the end of each uterine 

 cornu to the adjacent ovary. The round ligaments are two delicate 

 fibrous cords which pass one from each of the sides of the uterus 

 to the brim of the pelvis. 



The Fallopian tubes (Fig. 105, /,) have been already mentioned 

 as extending along within the folds of the broad ligament to the 

 extremity of the cornua of the uterus one Fallopian tube opening 

 into each cornu after following a much convoluted course. 



At its opposite extremity each Fallopian tube ends in an ex- 

 panded, trumpet-like termination surrounded by certain irregular 

 processes or fimbrice, one of which, longer than the others, is 

 attached to the adjacent ovary. The fimbriated and expanded 

 end of the Fallopian tube has been named the morsus diaboli. 

 The cavity within the Fallopian tube is extremely minute, and' 

 opens externally in the midst of its fimbriated extremity. 



Each Fallopian tube is, as has been said, coated externally 

 with peritoneum ; within this is a layer of longitudinal organic 

 fibres, and within this again a circular layer. Within all else is 

 the mucous lining (which forms longitudinal internal folds,) 

 coated with columnar and ciliated epithelium. At the orifice^ of 

 the Fallopian tube the mucous membrane which lines its interior 

 becomes actually continuous with the peritoneal coat which invests 

 it externally. Thus, in the female (unlike the male) the perito- 



