ERINACEUS EUROP^EUS. 191 



canal being continued through their whole length, the opening of which 

 begins from without. 



This ligament appears to be part of the peritonaeum as it were 

 pinched up, at this part, and the pinched part is only attached by a 

 very loose and cellular membrane. 



This part is also muscular, by fibres continued from the transversales, 

 or the obliquus internus, for they have two pairs of broad abdominal 

 muscles : the manner seems to be thus : — At the part where this liga- 

 ment is attached to the lower part of the abdomen, which is just on the 

 outer edge of the rectus abdominis, and above the symphysis pubis, the 

 transverse or the o"blique muscle is turned in towards the cavity of the 

 abdomen ; as it were, inverted, making a sort of funnel, whose mouth 

 is in the groin, especially when the testicle is pulled up. But, if the 

 testicle was pushed out of the belly, this inverted canal would make a 

 coat for the testicles, and the muscular part would then answer to the 

 cremaster muscle, which may be the case in the human foetus \ 



The vas deferens is very short, arising from the lower end of the 

 testicle, and only adhering to it for a little way, so that it does not 

 make that sharp angle within the epididymis as in those animals whose 

 testicles are down in the scrotum : it passes between the bladder and 

 the two large convoluted bags, then enters the urethra in the mem- 

 branous part, pretty near the bulb. The two large bags above men- 

 tioned are similar to what are called the ' vesiculae seminales ' in many 

 other animals ; and contain a white liquor, like the former, and enter 

 near the entrance of the vasa deferentia, which is into the foramen 

 caecum near the communication of the urethra, by a kind of nipple to 

 the four ducts. 



The penis is very large, passing forwards on the belly, like a horse's 

 or dog's, having two muscles passing by the side of it, arising from the 

 erectores, which are lost about the glans. The use of these must be to 

 shorten it, for when it is lax it is thrown into a serpentine course. 

 There is also a muscle arising from the under surface of the tail passing 

 by the side of the anus, then to the bulb, and from thence along the 

 urethra. 



The erectores penis are vastly large, partly inserted into the symphysis 

 pubis by two tendons on each side, and partly into the crus, and a great 

 deal of their fibres pass between the penis and pubis, joining with one 

 another. There is a strong muscle passing between the two crura on 

 that side next to the pubis. 



In the membranous part of the urethra there is a cavity having a 



1 [See ' Animal Economy,' 8vo. 1837, p. 7, and note.] 



