FEMALE ORGANS OF THE PROBOSCIDEA. 125 
scribe two sinuses as opening on the superior (intestinal) wall of the urino-genital canal 
about the middle of its course. These are evidently the Cowperian ducts, although, 
like myself, these anatomists could not discover the glandular bodies with which I have 
little doubt they were connected. Their statement that these ducts open on the superior 
wall of the urino-genital canal arises from a misconception as to the course of that canal 
after it has passed out of the pelvic cavity. As we have seen, the canal curves forward 
to terminate at the vulva—an arrangement which causes what, in the majority of mam- 
mals, is the upper or rectal wall of the canal to become in the Elephant the inferior 
wall or floor. In their description of the African Elephant neither Perrault nor Forbes 
makes mention of Cowperian glands or of their ducts. 
The muscles above described as the bulbo-cavernosi appear to be present in the 
female of both the Indian and African Elephants. Messrs. Miall and Greenwood find 
in the Indian species an arrangement of muscular fibres almost identical with that above 
described, whilst Perrault’ describes the urino-genital canal of the African species as 
“being covered with a large number of fleshy fibres, which were continuous with the 
muscles of the anus as well as with those of the sphincter of the bladder.” Neither of 
these authors, strange to say, appears to have recognized that the fibres in question are 
homologous with the bulbo-cavernosi of the male animal. Miall and Greenwood’, 
indeed, observe that the sides of the vulva “are very loose, and do not appear to be pro- 
vided with a distinct sphincter” —a fact which is easily explained when one considers 
the great difference in arrangement of the urino-genital canal of the Elephant as compared 
with that of the majority of mammals*. In the latter the canal is, so to speak, cut 
short, and the bulbo-cavernosi muscles are thereby converted into a sphincter vagine 
surrounding the genital fissure, whereas in the Elephant the male-like elongation of 
the urino-genital canal, together with the presence of an enormous clitoris, gives rise to a 
corresponding modification in the arrangement of the muscular fibres and a resulting 
similarity of the bulbo-cavernosi muscles in both sexes. The ischio-cavernosi and leva- 
tores clitoridis muscles have both been figured by Mayer in the Indian Elephant. They 
have not been hitherto described in the African species. ‘The clitoris does not differ 
much in the two species of Elephant. In the Indian species, however, there is a distinct 
mucous prepuce which has no representative in the African Elephant. It is true that 
Forbes‘ describes a “ well-marked preputial-like reversion of the integuments” as 
surrounding the glans; but, so far as I could ascertain from an examination of his spe- 
cimen, this is merely formed by the reflection of the mucous membrane from the urino- 
genital canal to the clitoris, the line of reflection being situated about 2 aches behind 
the extremity of the glans clitoridis. The same arrangement of these parts is found in 
the Indian Elephant ; but, in addition, there is a second and more anteriorly placed fold 
of mucous membrane, which completely surrounds the glans clitoridis, and leaves 
1 Loe. cit. p. 132. 2 Loc. cit. p. 66. % Loc. cit. p. 455, 
* Tt is worthy of note that Stukeley figures the constrictores vagine muscles. 
