422 PLACENTA AND GENERATIVE APPARATUS OF THE ELEPHANT. 



there is no distinction between what I have called Titerus and vagina, there being 

 but a single chamber between the cornua and what I have called the urogenital 

 sinus, which Mayer* considers vagina, " Die mit der urethra vereignte vagina". 

 I have mentioned only incidentally up to this time Mr. Forbes's valuable paper, as 

 I preferred giving my description as I noted the structures in last July. Of course 

 his paper has priority; but it is a satisfaction to me that I came independently to 

 the same conclusions as Mr. Forbes without a knowledge of his dissections. 



It appears to me that there can be little doubt now that the generative 

 organs in both species of elephants are understood. It is true that at first sight 

 the uterus appears to be a small chamber to hold a baby elephant ; yet, when 

 the size of a human baby is considered in reference to the womb holding it, the 

 ratio will be seen to be rather in favor of the elephant. It would certainly be in- 

 ferred, from the size of the urogenital sinus, that the labor would be easier in the 

 elephantine than in the human female, as was seen to be the case. Nevertheless it 

 would be a satisfaction to see an elephant in utero, with the membranes intact 

 so that the morphology and physiology of the parts might be determined beyond 

 cavil by a philosophical physiologist. For, inasmuch as the uterus and vagina are 

 formed through the coalescence of the Miillerian ducts, it is impossible a 'priori to 

 say how much of the duct would become uterus and how much vagina. 



* Op. cit., p. 38. 



