THE GREAT ANTEATKR. 307 



visible numerous small pore-like apertures, arranged in series in lines P. Z. S. 1882, 

 running outwards from the middle line. 



On laying open the vagina along its anterior wall, it is seen to pass 

 above with no marked constriction or " os uteri " into the pyriform simple 

 uterus, the only distinction between the two parts being afforded by the 

 thicker and more muscular walls of the uterus, and by the difference in the 

 character of the mucous membrane, this being quite smooth and spongy 

 in the uterus, whilst that of the vagina is thrown into a close-set series 

 of thick, more or less longitudinal, somewhat foliaceous plaits. For 

 about the lower inch of the vagina there extends a complete median sep- 

 tum, attached to both dorsal and ventral walls of the tube, extending a 

 little further along the dorsal wall, and terminating superiorly by a free 

 semilunar margin, concave upwards. Hence the terminal part of the 

 vagina consists of two quite separate tubes, fused together above, but 

 each opening into the urino-genital sinus by a single aperture of its own 

 below. 



The vagina proper measures about 4 inches in length. The pyriform 

 uterus is not more than 2 inches long : it presents not the slightest sign 

 of being double. Its walls are very thick and muscular ; but there is no P. Z. S, 1832, 

 constriction or valve at all at its junction with the vagina. It receives P- 29 ^. 

 the Fallopian tubes, not at its supero-external angles as in Homo &c., 

 but at a point about one third down its total length. These are not par- 

 ticularly long, nor much convoluted, and lie along the anterior edge of 

 the broad ligament. The ovaries are completely covered by a peritoneal 

 coat superiorly, but by their ventral faces open into a spacious peritoneal 

 pouch, open anteriorly, in the floor of which is the very considerable 

 aperture of the morsus diaboli, surrounded by the expanded extremity of 

 the Fallopian tube. This is not much fimbriated, and is externally pro- 

 longed to meet the external border of the ovary of the same side. On 

 this surface of the ovary may be seen a few scars, probably due to the 

 eruption of Graafian follicles, as well as a couple of small clavate pro- 

 cesses which depend freely from it into the cavity of the pouch. Towards 

 the outer part of the broad ligament, and lying anteriorly to the ovary and 

 round ligament, is a large " hydatid of Morgagni " nearly the size of a pea. 



The opening of the vagina into the urino-genital sinus by two distinct 

 apertures seems to be characteristic (according to the statements by Owen* 

 and Eapp t) both of the Anteaters and the Sloths, though Pouchet con- 

 sidered it in his specimen as " sans doute une anomalie " (1. c. p. 195). 

 The latter author describes as the " uterus " what I have here considered 

 to represent both uterus and vagina, whilst what he calls " vagina " is 

 only so in a functional sense, being morphologically the urino-genital 

 canal. Eapp also describes these animals as having a single uterus with 



* Anat. Vert. iii. p. 690. t L. c. p. 102. 



