FEMALE GENITAL ORGANS. 



357 



FEMALE GENITAL ORGANS. 



Adopting a similar sequence of description to that observed in 

 treating of the male organs, we note that the female genital 

 glands are the ovaries, which furnish the ovum or germ of the 

 future animal; the ovum is conveyed along the Fallopian tube 

 to the uterus, a cavity in which it becomes impregnated and 

 developed. The vagina is a tube or cavity analogous to the 

 urethra in the male, in that it is common to the Urinary and 

 Genital systems, the uterus opening into it anteriorly, and the 

 meatus urinarius being situated at its posterior boundary. As 



Fig. 127. 



Female urino-genital organs in siiit— the abdomen and pelvis being opened on the right side, 

 a, Right kidney ; 5, Left kidney ; c c, Ureters ; c', Right ureter entering bladder ; d, Bladder ; 

 e, Right lateral ligament of the bladder ; /, Lips of the vulva ; ;;, Vagina ; /(, Body of uterus ; 

 h', Its right cornu ; h", Its left cornu ; i, Broad ligament of right, and %', Of left side ; 7:, Fallopian 

 tube ; I, Right ovary ; m, Left ovary. 



the neck of the bladder lies immediately under the vagina, the 

 urethra in the female is exceedingly short. The vulva is the 

 external orifice of the vagina, the name being usually held to 

 include a small portion of the cavity within. 



To these organs may be added structures which are of import- 

 ance, since they form the most prominent characteristic of the 

 mammalian female — the mammary glands. 



