126 PROF. M. WATSON ON THE AN ATOM T OF THE 



only the extremity of that organ (p., PI. XXI.) exposed. This I am inclined to 

 regard as the true prepuce — a structure which is altogether absent in the African 

 Elephant '. 



From the foregoing comparison of the female organs of the Indian with those of the 

 African Elephant we see that, for the most part, the two species closely resemble one 

 another. The extent to which the utero-vaginal septum is developed appears, from the 

 observations of the different anatomists above referred to, to be variable iu both species ; 

 and, taking into consideration this variety of statement, further research is necessary 

 before we can arrive at any definite conclusion as to the explanation of this fact. 



Comparison of the female Organs of the Proboscidea with those of other Mammals. — 

 The most striking peculiarities of the female organs of the two species of Elephant lie 

 (a) in the presence of a non-functional vagina, which closely resembles the uterus in 

 structure, and [l) in the length and peculiar course of the urino-genital canal, which 

 gives rise to an arrangement closely resembling that of the corresponding parts of the 

 opposite sex. AVith reference to the first of these points, although there are many 

 mammals in which the vagina is functionally useless during sexual congress, its usual 

 function in such being delegated to the urino-genital canal ; yet there are few in which 

 the vagina, in respect of anatomical structure, presents so close a resemblance to the 

 uterus as does that of the Elephant. A resemblance of a similar kind, but more 

 pronounced in character, is, so far as I am aware, only met with in the female Ilya'na 

 crocihta^. In this animal all distinction between the uterus and vagina has disappeared, 

 the vagina being so metamorphosed as to be structurally undistinguishable from the 

 uterus. The lower portion of the uterus of this animal must nevertheless be regarded, 

 morphologically and developmentally, as homologous with the vagina of other mammals. 

 As regards the length of the urino-genital canal, Owen^ states that in one group of 

 mammals, that of the Platyrrhine Monkeys, the urino-genital canal equals in length that 

 of the secondary vagina, but in the majority of mammals the former is much shorter 

 than the latter. In the African Elephant, according to Forbes, the length of the urino- 

 genital canal is to that of the vagina as 3 to 1, whilst in tlie Indian species the former is 

 to the latter as 2 to 1. In the Indian Elephant, therefore, as in Hycena crocuta, the 

 female urino-genital canal is immensely elongated, and closely resembles the correspond- 

 ing structure of the opposite sex. In both it is provided with Cowperiau ducts opening 

 at the junction of its intra- and extrapelvic portions ; in both the clitoris is of enormous 

 size ; and in both the urino-genital canal extends forward in relation to the lower surface 

 of the clitoris, and consequently opens much further forward than in the majority of 

 mammals, the orifice of the urino-genital canal, in fact, occupying a corresponding position 

 in both sexes. These remarks apply equally to the African as to the Indian Elephant. 



' It is worthy of remark that the structure which I consider as represoDting the true prejiuce was also absent 

 in the specimen of the Indian Elephant dissected by Messrs. Miall and Greenwood. 



' Proc. Zool. Soc. 1S77, p. 373. ^ Anat. and Phys. of Vertebrates, vol. iii. p. 703. 



