886 THE APPARATUS OF GENERATION. 



on the contrary, they are flaccid and pendant, and the teats somewhat 

 lengthened. The milk secreted by the mammary glands is a white fluid, 

 possessing a sweet taste, and composed of an albuminous water containing 

 caseine in solution, milk sugar, salts, and fatty matter in globules the 

 butter. Usually a small quantity is secreted some days before parturition ; 

 that which is yielded for a short time after that period is named colostrum ; 

 it is rich in white corpuscles and has purgative properties. The colostrum 

 is of a rich yellow colour, less fluid than the milk of a later period, of 

 a higher specific gravity, slightly acid, and containing large oil-globules, a 

 few. irregular flakes, probably epithelium scales, a little granular curd-like 

 matter, and a small number of granular corpuscles.) 



DIFFERENTIAL CHARACTERS IN THE FEMALE GENITAL ORGANS OF OTHER THAN SOLIPEl) 



ANIMALS. 



Certain organs offer some differences worthy of notice, while others are formed as in 

 Solipeds. 



KUMINANTS. Ovaries. In the Cow, the ovaries are relatively much smaller than in 

 the Mare, but their form and structure are identical. (The Graafiau vesicles are visible 

 through the tunica albuginea.) 



Uterus. The uterus of the Cbtc, compared with that of the Mare, offers but few 

 differences with regard to its general disposition in the pelvic and abdominal cavities, 

 except that it is not so advanced in the latter. Supposing the uterus to be perfectly 

 horizontal, a transverse line drawn through the {Jane of the abdomen, before the external 

 angle of the ilium, is exceeded by the extremity of the cornua about lj to 2 inches ; so 

 that if the animal were on its back, the uterus would be only prolonged to the fourth or 

 fifth lumbar vertebra. 



With regard to form, the uterus of the Cow presents a very remarkable disposition, 

 which it is necessary to note : the concave curvature of the cornua looks downwards, 

 while in the Mare it looks upwards ; though in both the sublumbar ligaments are 

 attached to this concavity. Therefore it is that in the Cow, if we consider the uterus as 

 freely suspended in the abdomen, the extremity of the cornua is twisted outwards and 

 upwards, while the base, although drawn in the same direction by these ligaments, 

 maintains its direction, because it is in a manner fixed by the body of the uterus. The 

 latter receives, like the cornua, the insertion of the broad ligaments on its lower plane, 

 so that it overlaps them, while the uterus of the Mare projects below them. Otherwise, 

 these ligaments are very ample, especially at their anterior border ; they are wide apart in 

 front, towards their lumbar attachment, which is prolonged even on the parietes of the 

 flank. The ligaments may be altogether compared to a triangular cravat, one angle of 

 which is attached to the bottom of the pelvic cavity, and the other two to the tuberosities 

 of the ilium. On this cravat lies the body and part of the cornua of the uterus. 



The uterine cornua are thin and tapering at t'heir anterior extremity. The body is 

 short aid narrow. 



The interior of the uterus of the Cow is less ample tlmn that of the Mare. Its 

 surface is studded with rounded tubercles, known as cotyledons, which will be studied 

 hereafter. It is only necessary to say here that they are numerous in the cornua, but 

 small and few in the body of the organ. 



The cervix uteri, about from 2f to 3J inches long, is narrow and irregular. The 

 "expanded flower," more finely plicated tlian in the Mare, is almost cartilaginous. 

 Three other pl ; cated rings, each smaller than the other, are echelonned in the cavity of 

 the cervix, from the external orifice to the body (corresponding to the plicse, palmatx or 

 arbor mix uterina of Woman). 



In structure, the muscular layer is generally thicker than in Solipeds. 



In the Sheep and Goat, the arrangement is the same as in the Cow, except tl.at the 

 cotyledons are hollowed like a cup in their centre, and deserve thtir name. (The cornua 

 are longer and more pendent than in the Cow.) 



Vagina. In the Cow, the sides of the vagina are traversed, for a certain distance, by 

 a mucous canal that opens into the vulvular cavity, beside the meatus urinarius. These 

 ducts, the use of which is unknown, are designated the canals of Gxrtner. They are 

 not present in the Sheep or Goat. (In Ruminants, the vagina is longer and its external 

 tunic thicker than in the Mare. Leyh describes the canals of Gsertner as present in the 

 Mare, though rarely.) 



Vulva. This has thick lips in the Cow. The inferior commissure is acute, and 



