FEMALE ORGANS OF THE PROBOSCIDEA. 119 



parts — an anterior (measuring an inch in length), which they regard as the body of the 

 uterus, and a posterior (measuring 3 inches in length), which they look upon as repre- 

 senting the cervix uteri. These two parts differ from one another in the character of 

 the mucous membrane. No such distinction is I'ecognizable in my dissection, which, 

 moreover, differs from that of Miall and Greenwood in the fact that, whilst in mine a 

 well-developed septum uteri extends from end to end of the organ, in theirs this septum 

 is confined to the anterior extremity of the organ. With regard to the presence of a 

 vagina, their observations coincide with my own, differing, however, in this respect, that 

 the septum vaginae, which extends from end to end of the organ in my specimen, is in 

 theirs reduced to " a thick rounded cord covered by mucous membrane," which sepa- 

 rates the otherwise single opening of the vagina into the urino-genital canal into two — 

 a right and a left os vagina; — exactly as the posterior extremity of the septum vaginae does 

 in my specimen. Miall and Greenwood are of opinion that this cord represents the 

 hymen ; but a comparison of their specimen with my own leads me to the conclusion 

 that it ought rather to be regarded as the posterior extremity of the utero-vaginal 

 septum, which had apparently atrophied and disappeared in the rest of its extent. 



Passing now to the difference of statement with regard to the presence or absence of a 

 secondary vagina, as distinguished from the uterus, in the Indian Elephant, we find, on the 

 one hand, that Stukeley', Hunter, Owen, Miall and Greenwood all affirm its presence, 

 whilst, on the other hand, in the specimen examined by Mayer the coalesced Miillerian 

 ducts formed uterus, and uterus alone, and the secondary vagina was altogether wanting. 

 My own observations, together with an accurate examination of the organs dissected 

 by Messrs. Miall and Greenwood, lead me to the conclusion that, without doubt, a 

 secondary vagina, as distinguished from the uterus, is present in the Indian Elephant. 

 Each of these portions of the combined Miillerian ducts is perfectly distinct, and pre- 

 sents characters peculiar to itself. In the uterus we have the mucous membrane 

 presentmg a soft, spongy character, and thrown into longitudinal rugre ; whereas in 

 the vagina it is thin and semitransparent in character, closely applied to the vaginal 

 parietes, and presents almost no trace of longitudinal rugae. The uterine walls are 

 thickened by a peritoneal investment, whilst those of the vagina are entirely destitute 

 of such. Lastly, we have the two organs clearly separated from one another by well- 

 marked saucer-like folds of mucous membrane which clearly indicate the position of 

 the OS uteri. Whilst, however, my own dissections agree so fiir with those of Messrs. 

 Miall and Greenwood, they differ from the latter, as well as from those of every other 

 anatomist who has examined these organs, inasmuch as they disclose the presence of a 

 perfect vaginal septum. This septum, which in the specimen examined by Messrs. 

 Miall and Greenwood, as already stated, is reduced to the condition of a thick fibrous 



' In the drawing (plate viii.) appended to Stukeley's work on the Anatomy of the Elephant, the differ- 

 entiation of the combined Miillerian ducts into uterus and vagina is distinctly shown, although in the tost 

 this differentiation is not particularly referred to. 



VOL. XI. — Vi\s,i IV. No. 3. — April, J 881. x 



