75 



loose in the abdomen in some Glires were here developed in an ex- 

 traordinary degree, measuring /) inches in length, from I to 1^ 

 inch in breadth, and giving off long conical processes like the ap- 

 pendices epiploiccs from the liuman great intestine. The testes in the 

 fiatrachia, it may be remarked, have similar appendages. The vasa 

 deferenliu continue slightly tortuous till they reach the vesiculce sevii- 

 nales, along the mesial aspect of which they'pass down to the neck of 

 the bladder, and terminate separately at the commencement of the 

 urethra ; they gradually enlarge, but are not suddenly dilated at their 

 extremities. 



" The vesiculce seminales are thin membranous bags, with a w'hite 

 glistening exterior, of an elongated form, and give oft", on one side 

 principally, from fifteen to twenty obtuse blind processes, which are 

 more easily unravelled than in Man. The whole length of the vesicle 

 in its natural state was 2 inches 3 lines. It becomes gradually 

 smaller at the lower extremity, and forms what may be termed a duct 

 of 10 lines in length. The prostate gland, as in other Rodentia, takes 

 the form of accessory vesiculce, he'in^ composed of a number of distinct 

 tubes, which are compacted together by cellular texture, and form, in 

 this species, four principal masses or lobes. The component tubes 

 are flattened, thin, and easily torn, grow smaller towards the urethra, 

 and ultimately join so as to terminate by a few small orifices. 



"The manner in which the spermatic fluid and the accessory se- 

 cretions from the above tubular glands enter the urethra differs from 

 what is generally observed in the Mammalia, but, as far as I have ob- 

 served, with some slight modifications, is common to the Glires. The 

 urethra at its commencement forms a small cul-de-sac behind the neck 

 of the bladder; so that on laying open this part, together with the 

 urethra anteriorly, the orifice of the bladder is seen to be separated 

 from the canal of the urethra by a transverse ridge. Behind this 

 ridge, at the distance of 4 lines fro.m the orifice of the bladder, 

 there projected a middle rounded process or verumontanurn, \h, 

 line in length, on each side of which was a cavity, in which termi- 

 nated separately the orifices of the vas deferens, vesicula seminalis, and 

 accessory vesicles, A white coagulated substance was found project- 

 ing a i'ew lines from the duct of the vesicula semijialis. In the Acouchy 

 an amber-coloured substance, with a resinous fracture, was impacted 

 in the duct of the vesicula seminalis, and projected in a similar man- 

 ner into the urethra. Daubenton has noticed a similar circumstance 

 in the .Agouti. 



•' The membranous part of the urethra \s 15 lines in length j it 

 IS closely embraced by a thick stratum of muscular fibres, disposed in 

 a penniform manner from a middle posterior raphe. The true acce- 

 leratores surround the bulb of the urethra, which is large. The crura 

 penis are embraced by short and strong erectores. This organ is also 

 provided with small levatores arising from the symphysis pubis,hut ter- 

 minating in a single tendon which runs along the dorsum penis, follow- 

 ing the curvature, where it is bent backwards, and inserted in an 

 elongated flattened bone which lies, above the glans. This bone is 8 



