i of the Galapagos Tortoise. 455 



■ 



The immense size of the Bladder is one of the most 

 remarkable peculiarities in this order of reptiles ; and 

 indeed it is so far out of proportion to that of the kidneys, 

 that it has been thought to be not so much a receptacle 

 for the urine as for other fluids, for those which are 



m 



absorbed by tbe skin. Cams, in his Comparative Anato- 

 my, gives this as the opinjon of Townson and seems dis- 

 posed himself to adopt it. The bladder of the male 

 tortoise was inflated and dried for preservation, but was 

 unfortunately lost without having been measured j it 

 would, probably, have held two gallons or even more. 

 In each of our three specimens this organ was exceed- 

 mgly thin, having very little muscular development, and 

 the fundus was divided deeply into two horns of unequal 

 size; they all contained some fluid and a considerable 

 quantity of coarse, earthy substance, of a whitish color 

 and easily crumbhng down. Urethra about two inches 

 long and three inches transversely, when cut open; com- 

 mon to the urinary and genital organs, and terminated in 

 a rounded, somewhat prominent lip upon the under surface 

 of the cloaca, about ten inches from the vent. 



The Cloaca^ as already stated, measured transversely 

 when cut open nine inches, and its length was about ten. 



The Clitoris was remarkably developed and most per- 

 fectly resembled the penis, or corresponding male organ, 

 in miniature. It was from three to four inches long, three 

 fourths of an inch wide, and terminated at the distance of 

 three inches from the vent in a pointed, or, as it would 

 commonly be called, a heart-shaped gland which was 

 grooved in the centre and measured also three fourths of 

 an inch long, and the same at its widest part. Like the 



deep within the pelvis, and reach quite to the gland. 



anse 



/ 



