200 Anatomy of the Rabbit. 



on the dorsal body-wall some distance behind the kidney. 

 It is readily distinguished by the circular translucent dots 

 representing the larger vesicular ovarian follicles. In 

 some cases the darker radiate impressions (corpora lutea) 

 left by extruded eggs are discernible. 



(b) The mesovarium, a short fold of peritoneum suspending 

 the ovary from the body-wall. 



(c) The internal spermatic artery (a. spermatica interna) 

 arises from the abdominal aorta, immediately behind the 

 origin of the inferior mesenteric artery, and crosses the body- 

 wall transversely to the ovary. 



(d) The spermatic vein (v. spermatica) leaves the medial side of 

 of the ovary, and crossing the body-wall enters the inferior 

 caval vein. 



(e) The uterine tube (tuba uterina), the first portion of the 

 oviduct, distinguishable by its narrow calibre, opens into the 

 abdominal cavity through a broad funnel-like expansion, the 

 ostium abdominale tubae uterinae. The margin bears 

 a large number of short folds and processes, the fimbriae 

 tubae, which tend to enclose the margin of the ovary. 

 A single cyst-like hydatid may be seen in the funnel-like 

 expansion of the tube, but in embalmed animals is usually 

 found collapsed. 



(f) The mesosalpinx is the peritoneum supporting the uterine 

 tube. It is continuous with the mesovarium. 



. (g) The Uterus, the second portion of the oviduct; distinguished 

 by its greater diameter and muscular walls. The size of 

 this portion is enormously increased in animals which contain 

 or have borne young. 



(h) The mesometrium is the supporting peritoneum of the 

 uterus, and is a continuation of the mesosalpinx. The 

 mesometrium, mesosalpinx and mesovarium together con- 

 stitute the broad ligament dig. latum uteri). 



(i) The ovarian ligament dig. ovarii proprium) crosses the 

 mesosalpinx, connecting the ovary with the anterolateral 

 end of the uterus. It is continued by: 



