FEMALE ORGANS OF THE PROBOSCIDEA. 117 
mucous membrane, which project into the interior of the uterine compartments, and 
indicate the position of the ora uteri. The fold in conexion with the compartment of 
of the right side is much larger than that met with in the left. Each forms a very 
incomplete valve attached to the outer wall of its own compartment, and projects 
inwards towards the mesial septum. ‘The uterine surface of each is convex, whilst the 
vaginal surface is concave. 
Vagina.—The yagina measures 64 inches in length, and, as already stated, is not 
separated by any external constriction from the uterus. The junction of the two, how- 
ever, is sufficiently indicated by the line of reflection of the peritoneum from the uterus 
to the neighbouring viscera. The vagina is situated between the bladder and rectum, 
and is altogether destitute of peritoneum. Its walls are thick, and are provided with a 
thick coat of longitudinally arranged muscular fibres. Upon slitting open the tube it 
is seen to be of the same calibre as the corpus uteri, and is lined with a smooth mucous 
membrane, which presents no trace of the ruge met with in the uterus. The vagina 
is separated from the uterus in front by means of the mucous folds described along with 
the ora uteri, whilst posteriorly it communicates with the urino-genital canal by means of 
two apertures, which are separated from one another by the posterior extremity of the 
septum vagine. The latter is quite complete, and extends from end to end of the 
vagina, so as to separate the tube into two distinct channels—a right and left. In 
front the septum vaginz is continuous with the septum uteri, whilst posteriorly it 
intervenes between the two openings of the vagina into the urino-genital canal. 
If, now, we compare the foregoing description of the uterus with those of other 
anatomists who have dissected the Indian Elephant, we find that it differs from one and 
all of these in several respects. John Hunter’ refers to the presence of a common 
uterus and of two horns, thus plainly indicating the absence of a complete septum uteri, 
such as occurs in my specimen. Mayer’ also describes a “ gemeinschaftlicher uterus,” 
two inches in length, as communicating with the “ mit der urethra vereinte vagina” (that 
is, with the urino-genital canal); and the drawing which accompanies his description 
clearly shows the presence of a wnilocu/ar corpus uteri formed in the usual manner by - 
the junction of the two cornua. Miall and Greenwood’ state that “the cornua uteri 
unite to form a short tube of about one inch in length and three quarters of an inch in 
diameter.” This, which they regard as the common uterus, “leads into a somewhat 
larger chamber about three inches long, which represents the cervix uteri.” The sepa- 
ration of the cervix from the remaining nine inches of the tube is indicated externally by 
a slight constriction, and internally by “two considerable and well-marked enlarge- 
ments which project inwards from the internal wall and almost close the passage.” 
The latter part of the single tube they look upon as representing the vagina, and de- 
scribe and figure it as opening into the urino-genital canal by a single orifice, which is 
“ divided into two lateral halves by a thick rounded cord coyered by mucous membrane, 
1 Loe. cit. p. 175. ? Loc. cit. p. 38. Loe. cit. p. 63. 
