APPARATUS OF THE ELEPHANT. 417 



and were coarse in structure. Some passed through the whole depth of the placenta ; 

 others a half and third of that length. The terminal branches of the vessel could 

 be readily followed in them, dividing and subdividing in the same manner, and 

 ending in loops. It will be seen, therefore, that the chorion is principally attached 

 to the uterus by means of the girdle-like placenta, but probably to a small extent 

 also by the villous patches, seen at each pole. These patches have a greater 

 morphological than physiological significance. In my specimen the end of the 

 smaller sac of the chorion (PI. 48, a') is open, with the broken umbilical cord, <Z, 

 protruding, evidently owing to the young elephant having ruptured it at birth. 

 The amnion (PI, 48, h, h) necessarily is also broken at one end, for the same reason. 

 A considerable portion of this membrane (PI. 48, h', h') remains attached to the 

 umbilical cord and to the foetal surface of the placenta, and is reflected on each side 

 to the foetal surface of the chorion for two inches, and then hangs free from the 

 chorion to an extent of twelve inches. The rest of the amnion, several feet, was 

 preserved separately. If I have described these parts correctly, it follows that 

 when the foetus is in utero, and the membranes intact, there must be a space 

 between the amnion and the chorion in which the allantois and umbilical vesicle 

 will be found. To these structures I will return in a moment. 



The inner surface of the amnion is studded over with whitish hemispherical 

 bodies about one line in diameter. Prof. Owen describes the color as brownish ; 

 the difference may be due to the spirit in which his specimen was preserved. 

 Under the microscope* these granules appeared to consist of fibres with small 

 bodies interspersed. In the paper already referred to. Prof. Owen describes the 

 mucous or unvascular part of the allantois as consisting of three sacs, and disposi- 

 tion of these sacs in reference to the chorion and amnion. Without questioning the 

 correctness of the description of his specimen in this respect, it does not apply to 

 mine, there being no evidence here of any allantois as a distinct sac. This is not 

 surprising, however, when one considers the very great difference that the allantois 

 exhibits in animals, as regards size, permanency, etc. Indeed, the size of the 

 allantois varies to such an extent that Prof. Milne Edwards gives a classification 

 based upon this difference, calling the divisions Megallantoids, Mesallantoids, and 

 Microallantoids respectively. The allantois may remain as a simple sac so unde- 

 veloped as never to fuse with the chorion, as I have recently seen it in a foetal 

 kangaroo in utero ;t or, after having fused with or replaced the chorion, it may 



* I am indebted to Dr. Morris Longstreth for kindly examining some of the structures, and for confirming 

 what I learned from my own observation. 



t The first instance of this kind was described by Prof. Owen. 

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