[ 47 6 ] 
thrown from the left vagina into the right, where 
the apertures of the two wombs were placed. 
Through the latter pafiage both uteri would feem to 
have an equal chance for impregnation j for, not- 
withftanding that which contained the foetus was 
placed almoft dire&ly in a line with the axis of the 
right vagina : yet this probably was not its original 
polition ; but by degrees its bulk increafed fo much 
as neceflarily to occupy the middle fpace, and pufh 
the unimpregnated one afide. But, however fur- 
prizing it may feem at firft view, yet there is reafon 
to imagine, that the right womb, though at a greater 
diftance, would be much more apt to conceive than 
the other, if the left vagina only had been made ufe 
of. For when this was diftended, it appeared that 
the pofterior part of the feptum, by its protuberance, 
clofed lip and covered the left os tinece ; and, as fuch 
would probably be the cafe in copulation, the fernen 
not finding a ready admiffion into it, would pafs 
over to the right orifice, where its entrance could 
not be fo much obftru&ed. So that, if we may 
hazard a conjecture, I think it more likely, fince the 
right uterus alone conceived, that the left vagina had 
generally been employed. 
It was a prevailing opinion among the ancients, that 
male children were conceived in the right fide of the 
womb, and females in the left. Having fo few oppor- 
tunities of differing human fubjeds, they depended too 
much on the analogy of the ftruClure of brutes, which 
has been the principal fource of the many erroneous 
defcriptions which we meet with in their works. 
It is well known that the uterus of many quadrupeds 
is divided into two cornua , in which the foetus' are 
lodged ' y 
