304 GENERATIVE SYSTEM. 



lies wholly within the pelvis, between the bladder and rectum, 

 and is entirely covered by peritoneum. 



The cornua or Iwrns, rising from the body at an acute angle 

 with each other, take a progressively divergent course to the 

 loins, under the broad plates of the ilea ; they are consequently 

 not entirely confined to the pelvic bason. Their length and vo- 

 lume will be much greater in breeding mares than in others, 

 though their increase will be less than that of the capacity of the 

 uterus : indeed, in virgin mares, the diameter of a single horn is 

 little exceeded by that of the womb itself In figure they are 

 cylindrical ; they bend upward in their course, and they termi- 

 nate in round extremities ; to which is loosely appended the 

 ovaries, through the medium of the Fallopian tubes. 



The cervix or neck of the uterus is the rugose portion pro- 

 truded backward into the cavity of the vagina. From its flower- 

 like appearance, the French have fantastically named it " la fleur 

 epanouie :" it is a part, however, that can only be said to be de- 

 monstrable in a virgin uterus in the undistended state : inflate 

 the womb, and the cervix will disappear ; also one that during 

 gestation undergoes very remarkable changes. The vertical slit 

 or oval-shaped aperture in its middle is the os uteri or mouth of 

 the uterus. The peculiar florulent aspect of the cervix is owing 

 to its being enveloped in a prolongation from the lining membrane 

 of the uterus, which is uniformly puckered into many rugcc as it 

 passes through the os uteri : around the sides of the cervix these 

 rugae become continuous with those of the vaginal membrane. 

 This is a part that receives an especial abundant supply of mu- 

 cous secretion. 



Ligaments. — Independently of its connexion with the vagina, 

 the uterus is confined in its place by two broad productions of 

 peritoneum which attach it to the sides of the pelvis, named its 

 broad ligaments. They are formed in this manner — one portion 

 of peritoneum reflected from the bladder covers the under parts 

 of the body and horns of the uterus, their upper parts receiving a 

 similar covering from another portion of the same membrane de- 

 rived from the rectum ; the two portions subsequently unite at the 

 sides of the uterus, and continue in union to the opposite parts of 

 the pelvic parietes : by which arrangement the membrane really 

 divides the pelvis into two cavities, or rather blind pouches, one 

 existing between the uterus and bladder, the other between the 

 uterus and rectum ; at the same time that it serves to connect 

 these parts mutually to one another. The cervix consequently 

 receives no peritoneal covering. These ligaments serve to sus- 

 tain between their layers the vessels and nerves belonging to the 



