101 
and Structure of the Proteus Anguinus. 
intestine ; but whether this be the excretory duct of the testicle 
could not be determined. From an observation of M. Schrei- 
ber, the authors conjecture, that the testes of the proteus are 
subject to some remarkable changes with the increase of years, 
like those of the aquatic salamander, in which the testicle at first 
is formed of one spherical body ; afterwards of two, and subse- 
quently of three ; and not of two only, as M. Cuvier has stated. 
The position and form of this organ may be seen in Fig. 1. 
Plate VII. (g). 
The ovaria of the female are situated under the kidneys, and by 
the side of the rectum. They are enveloped in peritoneum, and 
have connection both with the spine and air-bladder. In protei 
recently dead, and not yet put in spirits, the ovaries appear an 
oblong mass of albumen, in which are suspended a vast number 
of minute ova. The oviducts do not commence near the heart, 
as in frogs and salamanders, but towards the anterior third of 
the trunk. They descend by the side of the spine, along the 
exterior margins of the kidneys ; and having reached the poste- 
rior extremity of the kidneys, they approximate and terminate 
into the intestine by a common aperture, a small distance from 
the anus. In the proteus dissected by M. Cuvier, he describes 
46 les oviductus tres-longs, et faisant beaucoup de festons, coni- 
ine ceux de la salamandre but the authors have not met with 
such appearances. In protei preserved in spirits, the oviducts 
were always found straight ; and in those recently dead they 
were much longer, but did not form those twistings and wind- 
ings which the ducts of the salamander make before they enter 
the intestine. See Plate VI. Fig. 3. 
8 . Of the Organs of Secretion. 
The kidneys of the proteus are so long as to occupy the 
lower half of the trunk. In structure, they much resemble those 
of the salamander ; but in their anterior part are two curvatures 
or sinuses, in which the two air-bladders are respectively lodged. 
The ureters are much convoluted anteriorlv, but extend in a 
straight line towards the posterior half of the organs, where they 
gradually approach each other, and finally unite together at their 
termination by one common aperture in the intestine. It must 
also be remarked, that, in the male proteus, as in the salaman- 
der, the ureters commence high up on the spine, and descend 
