THE ACCESSORY REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS 259 



Ruminants. In the sheep, the gazelle, the giraffe, and a number 

 of antelopes, there is a long filiform process attached to the end of 

 the organ and traversed by the urethral passage. In some forms the 

 process arises medially (the penis being symmetrical) ; but in others, 

 such as the sheep, it is attached to the left side of the organ, the 

 distal end of which appears to have undergone some sort of torsion. 1 



FIG. 70. Distal end of ram's penis, as seen from the left side, showing 

 glans and filiform appendage. The prepuce is folded back. Slightly 

 reduced. 



The urethra opens to the exterior at the extreme end of the filiform 

 appendage. This structure which has been investigated, especially 

 in the case of the sheep 2 is composed largely of erectile tissue 



BI. v. 



Muse. 



Fibr. Cart. 



Ep. Ur. 



FIG. 71. Transverse section through filiform appendage of ram, about 

 a quarter its length from the tip. x 45. 



HI. V., Blood-vessels ; Ep. dr., epithelium surrounding urethral cavity ; 

 Fibr. Cart., fibro-cartilage ; Int., integument ; Muse., muscular layer ; 

 Ur., urethra. 



which surrounds the urethra, and may be regarded as an extension 

 of the corpus spongiosum. Outside the erectile tissue is a well- 

 marked muscular layer which lies next to the integument. The 

 process is supported by a pair of fibro-cartilage bodies, placed one on 

 each side of the urethra and extending throughout the whole length 

 of the structure. 



1 Garrod, " Notes on the Osteology and Visceral Anatomy of Ruminants," 

 Proc. Zool. Soc., vol. xlv., 1877. For other orders see below, pp. 261 and 272. 



- Nicolas, "Sur 1'Appareil Copulateur du Belier," Jour, de VAnat. et la 

 Phys., vol. xxiii., 1887. Marshall, "The Copulatory Organ in the Sheep," 

 Anat. Am., vol. xx., 1901. 



