FEMALE ORGANS OF CARNIVORA. 699 



are inclosed in the peritoneal capsules, situated close to the ends 

 of the cornua uteri. The orifice of the capsule is chiefly formed 

 by the fimbriate pavilion. The cornua continue distinct some 

 way after they are externally joined together, the actual ■ corpus 

 uteri,' or common cavity, being very short. The inner surface of 

 the cornua is beset with thick soft eminences, chiefly in the 

 longitudinal direction, which fall into longitudinal ridges as they 

 approach the corpus uteri. This part opens into the vagina 

 on a well-developed round os tincae. The vagina is lined by a 

 loose usually longitudinally plicated membrane : it is separated, 

 at the immature period, by a well-marked constriction from the 

 urogenital canal. The urethra opens into the beginning of this 

 canal upon a mammillary prominence. The clitoris projects from 

 a small semilunar depression, just within the verge of the anterior 

 part of the urethro-sexual canal : it has an ossicle. The rectum 

 terminates close to the opposite side of the vulva, and a common 

 cloacal sphincter muscle embraces both apertures. 



In the White Bear ( Ursus maritimus) the ovaria are com- 

 pletely inclosed in a reflected capsule of the peritoneal membrane, 

 like the testes in the tunica vaginalis : a small opening, however, 

 leads into the ovarian capsule at the part next the horn of the 

 uterus. The fimbriated orifices of the oviducts are situated close 

 to this aperture : the ducts pass round the capsule in a tortuous 

 course to the uterus. The two cornua uteri communicate with a 

 short and wide corpus uteri, between which and the vagina there 

 appears to be no very distinct boundary : a broad transverse 

 rugous projection of the lining membrane holds the place of the 

 os tineas. The vagina is separated from the urogenital canal by 

 two transverse semilunar folds, continued one from each side of 

 the longitudinal eminence upon which the urethra opens. The 

 lining membrane of the urogenital canal is chiefly remark- 

 able for its dark colour and sharply defined rugae, which are 

 mostly longitudinal, but in some places have an oblique or 

 penniform arrangement. The clitoris lies concealed in a deep 

 preputial cavity, attached through its whole length to the 

 anterior or under part of the urethro-sexual canal: it has an 

 ossicle. In Ursus labiatus the inner surface of the cornua uteri is 

 marked by obtuse, depressed, irregular processes, on which are 

 utricular pores. The body of the uterus offers a very contracted 

 area ; it terminates by a small circular papillose ridge in a short 

 but wider canal, which traverses a similar but much larger pro- 

 minence, or os tincae: these valvular projections are minutely 

 plicated. The lining membrane of the vagina presents many 



