66 



On Abortion in Cows. 



(See "Farmer's Magazine," vol. iii. p. 156.) Cows, which for 

 months together have repeatedly failed to conceive, although they 

 have been regularly in heat and have had connection with the 

 male, are very liable to abortion on conception taking place. 



Preparatory to a further consideration of the subject, we 

 introduce here a very short account of the structure and uses of 

 those generative organs of the cow which are most concerned in 

 the reproduction of the species. These consist of the ovaries, 

 or female testicles, f alio jiian tubes, uterus {womb or calf-bed , 

 and vagina (all situated in the interior of the body), and of several 

 parts placed outwardly, called the vulva. 



The ovaries (ovaria), fig. 1, so called on account of the minute 



Fig. ], 



ova, a a, or egg-like cells which 



they contain, the essential re- 

 productive organs in the female, 

 are dense, greyish coloured, 

 shining bodies, about the size 

 of a pigeon's egg, two in num- 

 ber, and are placed one on each 

 side of the body somewhat be- 

 hind, and lower down than the 

 kidneys. They are attached 

 loosely to the sides of the ute- 

 rus and neighbouring parts by 

 folds of a membrane called 

 peritoneum, which also lines 

 the whole of the interior of the 

 belly ; the same membrane like- 

 wise gives them a strong outer covering. Under the peritoneum 

 they have a still denser envelope, which is continued into the sub- 

 stance of the organs dividing them into numerous compartments of 

 small size, filled with blood-vessels, a connecting medium, and the 

 ova, eggs, or germs. The ova are so minute as to render their struc- 

 ture incapable of being fully made out by the naked eye ; but when 

 sufficiently magnified, they are found to be essentially cellular in 



Ovary, a a a a, Prominences caused by ripe 

 ova approaching surface, b b b b, Situations 

 where ripened ova have burst. 



Section of portion of Ovary magnifiedj containing two Ova, enclosed in their Graafian vesicles. 

 a a a. Stroma, or substance of Ovary, b b. Its covering of Peritoneum. c c. Ova, contained 

 in their Graafian vesicles, d d, which each consist of two layers, e e, The Nucleus, 



