Q 



10 Proceedings of the Royal Physical Society. 



into the vulval cleft. When the subject is in the erect 

 position the glans clitoridis and the external orifice of the 

 urethra are in about the same horizontal plane. 



In the chimpanzee the mons Veneris and labia majora are 

 very rudimentary, and the large clitoris and labia minora are 

 visible without any manipulation of the parts. Again, the 

 glans of the clitoris and the external urinary meatus, instead 

 of being in about the same horizontal plane, are so situated 

 that the meatus lies vertically above the glans. 



In the human foetus before the fifth or sixth month, the 

 parts resemble those of the chimpanzee in the slight develop- 

 ment of the labia majora and mons Veneris and the large 

 size of the clitoris and labia minora ; but during the latter 

 months of fcetal life the growth of the former is much 

 more rapid than that of the latter, so that by the time of 

 birth the labia majora usually conceal the clitoris and labia 

 minora. 



At the upper end of the uro-genital canal of the chimpan- 

 zee are the openings into the urethra and vagina. At the 

 entrance to the vagina there are several folds of mucous 

 membrane, which are of interest in connection with the 

 question as to whether or not they represent the hymen. 

 Dr G. V. Hoffmann ^ recorded a case in which the mucous 

 membrane at the orifice of the vagina had two lateral 

 openings with a distinct median septum between them. 

 This, however, is not normally the case, and Hoffmann's 

 specimen was obviously an example of incomplete " duplex 

 vagina." Bischoff,^ while admitting the existence of certain 

 folds of the mucous membrane at the vaginal orifice, describes 

 the hymen as absent. 



In the animal I obtained from Dr Traquair there were four 

 folds of the mucous membrane — two on each side. These 

 folds — which in shape resembled somewhat the aortic semi- 

 lunar valves — had their free edges directed downwards, and 

 they were bounded externally by recesses, 3 or 4 mm. 



1 liber die weiblichen Genitalieii ciues Chiinpausen " — Zoitsclirift fiir 

 Geburtshiilfe und Gyiiiikologie, 1878. 



■^ Untersucbungcn der Eingeweide und des Gebirens des Chimpanse- 

 Weibclien — Mitthfilungen des Kgl. Zuol. Museum zu Dresden, Heft 2. 



