436 DR. E. C- STTRLTNG ON THE [Nov. 5, 



had taken place before the specimen came to hand, to which laceration, 

 in fact, the above-mentioned attenuation of the cord was due ; but 

 there were distinct traces of a torn membrane similar to that consti- 

 tuting the cord attached to the edge of the umbilical aperture. A 

 small coil of intestine protruded at the umbilicus, and no trace of 

 allantois was visible external to the body. 



Following the course of the cord to its attachment, it is seen to 

 pass through a well-defined orifice of about 2-3 mm. in diameter, 

 which oj)ened into the median canal. The edges of this opening 

 were longitudinally corrngated. In this median canal the cord be- 

 came thicker, and was visibly composed of a semitrauslucent tubular 

 membrane much crumpled longitudinally ; in its walls ran three 

 considerable vessels. Indications of similar vessels could be traced 

 back into the shrivelled and attenuated portion of the cord next to 

 the embryo ; but, owing to the small size of the part of the vascular 

 system of the embryo they communicated with, they could be hardly 

 distinguished. 



This tubular cord continued though the median canal, which showed 

 on the internal surface of its posterior (dorsal) wall a well-marked 

 median raphe, rising in its lower part into a ridge of such prominence 

 as to mark off two distinct channels ; and proceeding from this median 

 ridge were conspicuous transverse and oblique strise, giving the surface 

 a partly striated, partly reticulated appearance. The cord lay in the 

 right hand of these divisions. The os of each uterus opened into 

 the median canal through a prominent nipple-like projection rmly 

 slightly larger than that on the left side, though the body of the 

 organ on the right side was several times larger than its fellow. 

 Traced through the os into the cavity of the right uterus the cord 

 expanded into a thick and much plicated membrane, the folds of 

 which (lipped deeply down into corresponding sulci of the uterine 

 lining. The two structures, however, were easily separable, there being 

 apparently no vascular or other organic connection between them. 



Not being able to satisfy myself as to the exact nature of the 

 connection between the cord and the embryo in the above specimen, 

 on account of its small size and partly torn condition, I referred 

 to a larger specim.en of an embryo, probably of Macropus major, 

 which I happened to possess. From the absence of a record con- 

 cerning it, I am unable to be positively sure either of the species to 

 which it belonged or of the conditions under which it was found, but 

 for various reasons I have little doubt but that it was a uterine 

 embryo belonging to the aforesaid species. This was 25 mm. long, 

 exclusive of tail, and closely enveloped in a transparent amnion which 

 was reflected from the cord to about an inch which still remained 

 attached. 



The substance of the cord itself was formed of a close, tough mem- 

 brane closely adherent to the edge of the umbiHcal aperture, and it 

 concealed a small protruding loop of intestine. In its walls ran three 

 vessels, the connections of which vvith the fcetal vascular system I 

 need not repeat here, as I found them to be exactly as described oy 

 Sir Richard Owen in his ' Anatomy of Vertebrates,' vol. iii. p. 719. 



