292 GENERATIVE SYSTEM. 



OF THE PENIS. 



The penis ox yard is an organ of large dimensions in the horse 

 species, capable of projection and retraction, but ordinarily con- 

 cealed within a loose and pendulous doubling of skin, at the in- 

 ferior and posterior part of the belly, known by the name of the 

 sheath. It is not only destined for the important office of im- 

 pregnation, and made the seat of that enjoyment experienced by 

 the male during the copulative act, but it serves the subordinate 

 purpose of a convenient conduit for the discharge of urine. 



THE SHEATH (in which the penis is inclosed, and by whicii, 

 unless it be in a state towards erection, it is concealed from view) 

 is nothing more than a prolongation of the common integuments, 

 with one part drawn within the other, and puckered so as to 

 form a sort of corrugated bag — corresponding to the prepuce in 

 man — whose dimensions vary with the degree of retraction of the 

 penis. Posteriorly, the sheath is continuous with the scrotum ; 

 anteriorly, it is cleft, and has two large pendent folds of skin, 

 proceeding from the sides of the vagina propria penis, with a 

 broad deep furrow between them, which extends along the belly 

 as far forward as the navel. In most horses, these parts are 

 either dark-coloured or black : in some they are clothed with 

 fine, long, downy hair ; in others they are inferiorly almost bare, 

 having but a few scatte'red short hairs which are only perceptible 

 on close inspection. But there is so much variety in these unim- 

 portant particulars, that any single description, accurately and 

 minutely drawn, will not apply with jirecision to another indi- 

 vidual. Near the borders of retiection of the sides of the sheath — 

 in the ordinary state of the parts — grow two small papillae or 

 teats, resembling the dugs of the mare, presenting, in a less per 

 feet degree, the same internal structure, and being perforate at 

 their apices: they are not to be found, however, I believe, in all 

 horses, and it is the practice of some cutters to take them off at 

 the time of castration ; Girard observes, with truth, that they are 

 largest in the ass species. Tlie internal sheath — the vagina 

 propria penis, exhibits two large, circular, tegumental plications: 

 the outer and larger one is formed by an involution of the ex- 

 ternal vagina, and exhibits internally numerous corrugations, 

 which, though by no means regularly ranged, for the most part 

 run in circles around the inner phcation, the veritable preputinm 

 glandis penis, whose internal surface is also puckered into cir- 

 cular corrugations, but smaller, and still more numerous, and 



