INTERNAL OKCANS <>F t! EXKliATION. 39 



between the vagina and vulva. The vagina is from eight to nine inches 

 long. 



Bitch and Cat. 



There are no " GaDrtner's canals" in the Bitch or Cat. The vagina is 

 of comparatively great length, and has longitudinal ruga), which are 

 interrupted by transverse folds. In both animals the canal is wider 

 towards the vulva than towards the uterus, and its walls are rendered 

 very thick by white fibrous tissue, in addition to the non-striated 

 muscular fibres it contains. 



SECTION II.— THE UTERUS. 



The L'teuus, or womb (Figs. 17, 1 ; 21, 8), is an elongated musculo- 

 membranous sac which receives the ovum, and constitutes the recep- 

 tacle for the nutrition, development, and, finally, after a certain period, 

 the expulsion of the fcrtus. It is situated in the sublumbar region 

 of the abdomen, towards the inlet of the pelvic cavity, into which its 

 posterior extremity enters. This portion — the body — represents a simple 

 cylindrical reservoir, slightly flattened above and below, while the 

 anterior part is bifid ; the two divisions — the cornua or horns — curve 

 upwards and forwards. The body is situated horizontally beneath the 

 rectum, which is in contact with it after passing between the two 

 cornua ; on each side of its upper external face it receives the insertions 

 of wide ligaments ; and its sides and anterior face are in contact with 

 the intestines. Its lower surface is in contact with the bladder and the 

 pelvic curvature of the colon ; while its anterior extremity is continuous 

 with each of the cornua, and the posterior is separated from the vagina 

 by the constriction named the col, cervix, or neck of the uterus. The 

 cornua are cylindrical tubes, and, lodged among the intestines occupy- 

 ing this region, proceed at an angle from the body in an upward direc- 

 tion, describing two curves — an inferior, convex, which is free ; and a 

 superior, concave, to which the suspensory ligaments are attached. 

 Each horn has also a posterior extremity or base, a continuation of the 

 body of the uteinis ; and an anterior extremity or summit, rounded into 

 a cnl-de-sac, which is turned upwards, and has at the bottom a small 

 tubercle, the insertion of the oviduct. 



Floating in the abdominal cavity, like the intestines, the uterus is 

 also attached, as they are, by two membranous bands which suspend 

 them from the sublumbar region, and are consequently designated the 

 broad or suspensory lit/aments of the uterus ; also, from the general 

 resemblance to the wings of a bat, the alca vespertilionis. These bands, 

 derived from the peritoneum of the abdomen, are lartjer in front than 

 behind, and in shape are irregularly triangular ; beliind, they are close 

 to each other, but in front diverge like the sides of the letter V, They 

 descend from the lower face of the lumbar region, and attach them- 

 selves, by their inferior border, to the sides of the upper surface of the 

 body and the smaller curvature of the cornua ; their anterior border 

 is free and sustains the oviducts and ovaries, the first being included 

 between the two layers of the ligament, while the ovary, placed within 

 it, also receives a layer detached froju the principal one, which with 

 it forms a little cup-shaped cavity. Another small, long, and narrow 

 band of peritoneum is observed external to the broad ligament ; this 

 can be traced posteriorly to the internal inguinal ring, and anteriorly 

 it presents a little enlarged appendix. Between the two layers com- 



