688 



ANATOMY OF VERTEBKATES. 



Uterus bicornis, Humau Anomaly, ccxlvi'' 



some Rodentia, the clitoris projects externally to the vulva, and 

 is perforated by the urethral canal. The Mole, which exemplifies 



this structure, fig. 542, c, 

 also shows a complete clo- 

 sure of the vaginal orifice 

 in the virgin state, ib. I, 1 

 the vulva afterwards, ib. 2, 

 intervening, at n, between 

 the clitoris, c, and the pro- 

 minent vent, below the 

 letter n. The canals, seve- 

 rally continued from these 

 apertures, viz. rectum, va- 

 gina, and urethra, are all 

 anterior to the pubic bones, 

 consequently outside the 

 pelvis. There is no valvular or other distinction between the 

 vagina and corpus uteri : a long, somewhat tortuous, subdepressed 



utero-vaginal canal extends into the ab- 

 domen to terminate in the cornua uteri : 

 these are cylindrical tubes, and describe 

 three abrupt curves, on quitting the 

 corpus uteri, at right angles therewith. 

 The ovaries are commonly found with a 

 tuberculate exterior, and are inclosed in 

 an almost complete peritoneal capsule. 

 The oviduct pursues a wavy course along 

 this capsule to the uterine ' horn.' The ovarian ligament, com- 

 mencing near the diaphragm, descends external to the kidney, 

 carrying before it a peritoneal fold. The uterine ligament is 

 continued from the end of the f cornu,' and runs along the pos- 

 terior edge of a continuation of the same fold, or ( mesometry,' to 

 the part answering to the abdominal ring in the male. 



The Shrews closely resemble the Moles in their female organs : 

 there is the same absence of os tincse and a corresponding length of 

 utero-vaginal canal from which the cornua, fig. 389, ?/, arch away 

 at a right angle. In the impregnated specimen figured, the com- 

 mencing embryos were lodged in caecal dilatations of the cornua. 

 In the great-snouted Shrew {Rhynchocyon), the ovaria, fig. 543, .r, 

 are placed each near the orifice, o, of a large peritoneal capsule, 

 bordered by the oviduct, t, which slightly enlarges towards the 



External parts, female Mole, lxiii' 



According to lxiii". p. 1006. 



