On the Female Organs and Placentation of the Racoon. 273 



pinnipeds we find that the placentation has been examined in PJwca 

 vitulina,* Phoca bicolor,f Halichoerus gryplius,% as well as in two seals, 

 the species of which were not determine d.§ 



It will be observed that in this list, which, so far as I can ascertain, 

 contains the names of all the carnivorous mammals the placentation 

 of which has been investigated, that of the racoon {Procyon lotor) 

 does not occnr. This is the more retnarkable, inasmuch as the racoon 

 is one of the mammals which most frequently finds a place in our 

 collections, and one which apparently thrives well under artificial 

 conditions of existence. At the same time, as occurs so frequently in 

 the case of wild animals kept in a state of captivity, the gene- 

 rative functions of the racoon appear almost constantly to remain 

 in abeyance. Mr. Bartlett, the skilful superintendent of the 

 menagerie of the Zoological Society of London, however, in answer 

 to enquiries, informs me that the racoon has occasionally bred in con- 

 finement, but only after the mother had been in the gardens for 

 several years. He adds, moreover, that neither the length of the 

 period of gestation nor the condition of the young at birth are known 

 to him. In view of the total lack of definite knowledge concerning 

 the anatomy of the female organs of Procyon in the pregnant state, 

 I consider myself extremely fortunate in being able, owing to the 

 kindness of the Messrs. Jennison, proprietors of the Bellevue 

 Zoological Gardens of this city, to give some account of these organs 

 as they occurred in an individual which, in their gardens, had reached 

 an advanced stage of pregnancy. 



I shall, in the first place, describe the female organs, and thereafter 

 proceed to the consideration of the anatomy of the placenta. 



On opening the abdominal cavity, the distended condition of the 

 right cornu uteri showed at once that the animal was pregnant. 



Ovary. — The ovary, rounded in form and somewhat flattened from 

 above downwards, measures one- fourth of an inch in diameter. Its 

 surface presents a somewhat lobulated appearance, which, however, is 

 not due to the presence of corpora lutea, not a trace of these being dis- 

 tinguishable in the organ of either side. The ovary is situated in close 

 proximity to the free extremity of the uterine horn, and is retained in 

 position by means of two ligaments. Of these, one, to be more par- 

 ticularly described presently, attaches it to the posterior surface of 

 the diaphragm, whilst the other passes from the inner end of the 

 ovary to the free extremity of the corresponding uterine horn. The 

 Fallopian tube, moreover, almost encircles it and serves to retain it in 

 close relation to the uterus. The ovary is altogether destitute of any 



* Barkow, " Zootomische Bemerkungen," Breslau, 1851. 



f Alessandrini, " Meckel's Deutsch. Archiv fur Physiologie," vol. v, p. 604. 



X Turner, " Trans. Boy. Soc. Edin.," vol. xxvii, p. 275. 



§ Rosenthal, " Nova Acta Acad. Cses. Leo. Car.," vol. xv, 1825. 



