3°4 Dr. Davy on the urinary organs 
cloaca between the mouths of the oviducts; it is a little elevated 
above the surface, and its point is directed towards a receptacle 
into which the urine enters. The receptacle is a continuation 
of the intestine, yet it may be considered distinct both from 
the rectum and cloaca, with both of which it communicates only 
by means of sphincter orifices. This conformation of parts 
may be seen to advantage in large species of snakes. I first 
observed it in the rock-snake and the rat-snake, two species 
of coluber, frequently found from eight to ten feet long. 
The urinary ducts of serpents are frequently of an opaque 
white colour, from a white matter which they contain, which 
is visible through their transparent coats, and which may be 
expressed and collected from the papilla in small quantities 
for examination. More or less of a similar white matter is 
almost constantly found in the receptacle ; generally it is found 
in soft lumps, rarely in hard masses. In the receptacle, I have 
always observed it pure and entirely free from fascal matter. 
This solid urine, for such it is in reality, gradually accumulates 
in the receptacle, till it forms the masses just described. It 
is a long time thus collecting, from three weeks to a month 
or six weeks. When the bulk of the masses is so considerable 
as to distend the part, they are expelled by an unusual exer- 
tion of the animal, most commonly in the act of devouring its 
food, which it takes periodically, at intervals of from three to 
six weeks. The Urine is voided occasionally, accompanied by, 
but never mixed with, fasces. When expelled, it is commonly 
in a soft state, of a butyraceous consistence, which it loses from 
exposure to the air, and becomes hard and like chalk in ap- 
pearance. This change is produced, I believe, merely by the 
evaporation of moisture. The quantity of solid urine secreted 
