ANATOMY. 47 



ovaries of those mares whose organs have been engaged in 

 the generative process. Prior to the age of sexual intercourse, 

 these bodies are small and white ; but as soon as the season 

 of copulation is at hand, they grow large, redden externally, 

 and present many yellow spots or streaks through their sub- 

 stance. 



Mamma, though unconnected with the uterus, anatomi- 

 cally speaking, are in function concurring to the same im- 

 portant end. The mammae, vulgarly called udder, are two 

 flattened oval-shaped bodies, depending, between the thighs, 

 from the posterior and inferior part of the belly. In quadru- 

 peds, with but few exceptions, this is the situation of the 

 mammas. 



In virgin mares the udder is so small that there hardly 

 appears to be any. In mares who have had foals, the udder 

 remains prominent or pendulous, and has a flabby feel. 



Towards the latter part of gestation, this part swells, and 

 becomes distinctly visible. Within a few days of foaling, 

 the udder grows turgid with milk ; it does not, however, 

 acquire its full distention until the foal has drawn it for a few 

 days, from which time it maintains its volume, with little 

 variation, during the period of sucking. Soon after the foal 

 begins to forsake the teat, the secretion of milk diminishes, 

 and is followed by a contraction of the bag, which goes on 

 gradually, until it has resumed nearly, or quite, its former 

 flatness. 



The interior of the mammae has a light yellowish aspect, 

 and evidently possesses a lobulated structure, which is held 

 together by a fine cellular tissue, interspersed with granules 

 of fat. It is constituted of glandular masses, irregular in 

 magnitude and form, and loosely connected one with another, 

 each of which masses is composed of a number of lobules, 

 closely compacted and united together. These insulated 

 lobulous portions receive small arteries, from which the milk 

 is secreted. The former, by repeatedly conjoining one with 

 another, become at length several demonstrable canals, radiat- 

 ing from every part, and dilating to hold the milk. 



