SHEEP HUSBANDRY IN THE SOUTH. 233 



It is situated mostly on the right side, between the nianiplus and dia- 

 phragm. It is supplied with arterial blood, and receives the venous blood 

 which is conveyed from the intestines, from which it separates the bile, 

 and conveys it to the gall-bladder. The bile having undergone certain 

 changes in this bladder, is conveyed, as already stated, by the biliaiy duct, 

 to the duodenum. The venous blood, after the gall is separated from it, 

 is returned to the lungs, to undergo the process which fits it again to en 

 ter into the circulation. ^ 



THE URINARY AND GENERATIVE ORGANS. 



Though it might seem the more natural order to complete the examina- 

 tion of the circulatory and respiratory organs, before taking up those 

 named at the head of this paiagraph, I shall, adhering to my first arrange- 

 ment to follow the order which I have uniformly pursued in making dis- 

 sections, first complete the description of those of the abdominal cavity. 



The Kidneys. — The kidneys are two bean-shaped glands firmly attached 

 to the roof of the abdomen, and usunlly imbedded in fat. They are sup- 

 plied with blood by large arteries, and, having filtered out the urine from 

 it, they discharge the latter through two ducts, termed ureters, into the 

 bladder. The passage of these ducts through the walls of the latter is in 

 an oblique course, so that it is closed by pressure from within, and thus 

 the urine cannot return. 



The Bladder. — The bladder joins the urethra, in the pelvis, and its pos- 

 terior part is attached to the floor of that cavity. The anterior part, where 

 the diameter is larger, floats free in the abdomen. A circular muscle or 

 sphincter closes the entrance into the urethra, to prevent the continuous 

 escape of the urine, and this relaxes when the muscular coat of the bladder 

 contracts for the periodical expulsion of that fluid. The urethra is but a 

 few inches long in the ewe, and opens into the vagina. It is much longer 

 ' n the ram, as it extends the whole length of the penis. 



The Uterus and Vagina. — The vagina is several inches in length and 

 opens into the uteims or womb by a circular opening which becomes closed 

 after impregnation. They are situated between the rectum above, and the 

 bladder below. They are mostly within the pelvis in the unpregnant ani- 

 mal, but the womb rises into the abdomen when it encloses a fcetus. The 

 womb is a cylindrical body with two " horns" or branches. At the interiof 

 extremity of each horn are protuberances, jf a red color, called niiarit* 

 which are supposed to contain the germs of the ofTsprinj?. 



