THE ORGANS OF GENERATION. S5 



eighteen inches in length, extending from the vulva to the uterus. 

 It is situated between the rectum above, and the bladder below; 

 is partly membranous, and partly muscular in its composition ; 

 and is lined internally by a mucous membrane, which is col- 

 lected in loose folds. 



The Uterus, or womb, in the mare, is very singular in shape, 

 having a body, a neck, and two horns ; the body is the cylin- 

 drical part, having the neck behind and the horns in front ; the 

 neck is the posterior contracted part, which projects into the 

 vagina ; it presents a wrinkled flower- like appearance, and has 

 in its middle an opening into the vagina, called the os uteri. 

 The horns, which are each almost as large as the body, proceed 

 backwards from it, diverging from each other. They proceed 

 upwards, into the abdomen, and end in I'ound extremities, to 

 which are connected the fallopian tubes. 



The uterus possesses considerable strength, which is chiefly 

 owing to its thick fibrous coat, which, during gestation, possesses 

 great contractile power. 



The Fallopian Tubes are two very small tubes, about an inch 

 and a half in length, leading from the horns of the uterus to the 

 ovaria. 



The Ovaria or female testicles are considerably smaller than 

 the male organs, which in shape they resemble, being about the 

 size of walnuts ; they are situated in the abdomen, a little ante- 

 rior to the kidneys, and are loosely connected to the spine by 

 membrane. They are well supplied with blood vessels and 

 nerves, and supply small ova or vesicles, one of which, during 

 copulation, is conveyed through the fallopian tubes to the uterus, 

 and being impregnated by the seminal fluid of the male, becomes 

 the germ of a new animal. 



The operation of spaying, so often performed in the pig, and 

 sometimes on the cow and mare, consists in making an opening 

 at the flank into the abdomen, and introducing the finger, with 

 which the ovaria are brought out and cut off. 



The Udder of the mare is situated at the lower and back part 

 of the abdomen between the thighs ; in the virgin state it is 

 exceedingly small, but towards the latter period of gestation en- 

 larges considerably, and a few days before parturition milk is 

 secreted. 



The udder is a glandular structure, well furnished with blood 

 vessels, by which the milk is secreted, which is then poured into 

 specific canals, which convey it to the teats or dugs, the ex- 

 tremities of which ai'e pierced with three small holes, for the 

 exit of the milk. Both udder and teats are covered by soft 

 skin, generally of a dark colour. — Ed.] 



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