160 



ration of the Marsupial animals, induces me to offer the following 

 observations on the anatomy of the Kangaroo, although they do little 

 more than record a negative fact. 



" Having had opportunities of verifying the discoveries of M.Geof- 

 froy-Saint-Hiiaire of the peritoneal canals in the Crocodile and Tor- 

 toise, I felt desirous of putting also to the test of observation his 

 more recently recorded discovery of similar canals in the Kangaroo. 

 The accidental death at the Society's Gardens of a fine female of 

 the common species (Macropus viajor, Shaw,) afforded a favourable 

 opportunity of making the investigation, and the following results 

 were obtained. 



"The disposition o? the peritoneum at the pelvic region of the ab- 

 domen is as follows : an anterior fold of the membrane is reflected 

 from the mesial line of the abdominal jpnrieies upon the anterior part 

 of the urinary bladder; two lateral folds are continued from the 

 sides of the bladder to the posterior part of the middle uterus, from 

 whence they are reflected to the iliac and lumbar regions of the 

 G6f/ci???e«, representing the broad ligaments, and including the uterine 

 vessels, Fallopian tubes, and ovaries. In the pouch thus formed be- 

 hind the bladder, the lateral uterine tubes and body of the uterus 

 are contained. From the posterior part of the neck of the uterus 

 the peritoneum is reflected upon the rectum, and as it is in this situa- 

 tion that the j)eritoneal outlets exist in the Crocodile, ihe membrane 

 was here first examined, but without the slightest appearance of an 

 aperture being detected. The peritoneal cavity between the uterus 

 and bladder was next examined, and particularly where the mem- 

 brane is reflected from the lower part of the lateral tubes {ad ute- 

 rums, Geoff.), this being the situation where the description of 

 M, Geoffroy-Saint-Hilaire would lead us to expect thera. There 

 was, indeed, in the angle between the lateral and middle uterus a 

 narrow peritoneal pouch, which seen from above appeared like the 

 orifice of a canal; but on sounding this with an eye-probe, uniform 

 resistance was met with, and on laying the cavity carefully open the 

 membrane was found to be entire and imperforate at the bottom. 

 The remamAev o^ ihe perito7ieum in this neighbourhood was searched 

 over, but with the same want of success. 



" The female was adult, but was believed never to have been with 

 young. 



"I repeated the examination on the female parts of an adult 

 Kangaroo (also without young\ which had been preserved in spirits 

 from a former dissection, and in which the peritoneal connexions 

 between the bladder, uterus and rectum were entire. The same 

 small blind pouches were found in the situation indicated above, 

 but not any trace of the orifices of canals. M. Geoflroy-Saint-Hi- 

 laire acknowledges he was unable to find analogous canals in a male 

 Kangaroo that he examined subsequently to the female; and as the 

 dissection on which his supposed discovery is founded appears not 

 to have been performed by himself, these canals, unless confirmed 

 by further observation, must be considered as at least of doubtful 

 existence. 



