alcohol, but they appeared to be filled with round nucleated cells. The peduncle
is generally contracted at its base, after which it expands, again to contract at its
junction with the body itself, which is usually pear-shaped and with walls of considerable
strength invested by the amnion. Occasionally secondary bodies of the
same nature are found attached by a peduncle to those of the amnion.
A «m«.ll portion of the amnion with the grey bodies in question in situ is
shown as a microscopic preparation in PI. XXXVII, fig. 15; That which doubtless
causes the gritty granular feel is a series of crystalline particles. Many of' these
are quite microscopic in size, but others, and in aggregated heaps, are quite visible to
the naked eye and easily resolved by the aid of a hand-lens. The crystalline bodies,
as a rule, are roundish, with a less or more amorphous centre, around whioh radiate
needle or club-shaped (fig. 15A) spicules. Some of the globular crystalline objects
are tolerably entire, but others are disintegrated, and their acieules are scattered about.
The basement tissue of the membrane is diaphanous, corpusoular and granular,
the nucleated corpuscles here and there being drawn out, and fusiform and oil
particles are freely dispersed throughout.
The allantoic portion of the amnion is also the seat of certain fine moniliform
vessels which ramify among the corpuscles and which oan be traced on to the
sheath of the cord.
Allantois.—!This extends to within 2 inches of the left pole , of the chorion
and to within 3 inches of its right pole, i.e., it is nearly coincident with the
length of the chorion. 'When the amnion is reflected from off it,- the allantois
appears as an extremely thin, transparent membrane, but ».must yet have considerable
tenacity, as it does not rupture so readily as the chorion. This sac is entirely
devoid of amnion after it leaves the left horn, but in the right horn it is separated
from the chorion by the gelatinous membrana intermedia. This is also the case in
its ehorionio and amnionic relations in the left horn, where it is encased by that
membrane in which the few very fine vessels which go to the amnion are partially
imbedded. In peeling off the amnion from the allantois, it is observed that the
corpuscles of the former have no relation to the latter sac. The allantoic fluid
measured 8 quarts or 2 gallons.
Allantoic tody—A remarkable body was removed from the tubular portion
of the allantois in the right horn of this almost mature uterus. I t was discovered
lying free in the cavity, having floated out when the sac was emptied.
I t resembled an almond in shape, and was 1-25 inch long and 066 broad (PI. XXXVI,
fig 5). I t showed no signs of having been attached to the allantoic wall. I t precisely
corresponded to the so-called “ hippomanes” met with in the foetal membranes
of the mare, &c. Under the microscope it was seen (PI. XXXVII, fig. 16)
to be made up of a loose web of wide-meshed areolar-like substance. The meshes
were by no means uniform in size or pattern, nor was the tissue of similar consistence.
At one spot, the latter was a diaphanous, apparently textureless membrane;
at another, more cellular-looking, fibrous and granular. Thus it did not agree with
any simple organic tissue, seeming rather to be an albuminous secretion or plasma
assuming areolar organization, with lymph corpuscles and oily particles intermixed.
Its special feature, however, was the presence of a vast number of
crystalline bodies, oubical, hexagonal, prismatic, needle-shaped and granular, probably
related to glycogen or to dextrose. These were quite variable in size
and freely scattered within the areas and amongst the substance of the membrane
itself.
B dations o f foetus to uterus (Pl. XXXI, fig. I).—1The foetus was wholly confined
to the left horn; the right pole of the amnion resting, through its interposed
chorion, on the mesial septum (Pl. XXXIV, fig. l,i>a.) which separates the
orifices of the two horns and form the wall of the right pole of the left horn. The
head of the foetus was turned away from the os uteri and lay in the left extremity
of the left horn with the tip of its snout immediately above the orifice of the
Eallopian tube of that side. The umbilicus was opposite the septum of the left
horn, which septum lay between the extremity of the tail and of the pectoral
flipper. The snout was at a considerably lower level than the tail. Erom behind
the vent, the caudal portion was curved forwards and to the right side, and bent
under the belly, so that the tip of the right caudal fin lay opposite the distal end
of the right pectoral flipper, but separated from it by the umbilical cord. The
caudal portion, so doubled on itself, was slightly below the level of the free margin
of the septal fold, or external lip of - the orifice, to. the left horn, but it did
not reach to the common cavity of the uterus, because it was above the free
border of the common septum which marks the upper limit of the body of the
womb.
I t will be observed (Pl. XXXIII, fig. 1) that the foetus of Orcella had the
same relations to its uterine wall.
Umbilical cord.—As it leaves the membranes the cord is bent on itself and then
runs for three inches to the right side of the space defined by the downward and
forward bending of the tail of the emhryo under its belly. I t then describes three
curves in rapid succession and, turning to the left, reaches the foetus in 2-50 inches.
I t is altogether 10 inches long when extended. Its point of union with the membranes
is opposite to the septal fold of the left horn (Pl. XXXI, fig. 1, c).
I have already described various bodies superficially attached to the umbilical
cord of Orcella (ante, p. 403) and also some peculiarities in the vessels which
pass through it. In the cord of Platanista somewhat similar structural conditions
are found.
On the surface of the cord here and there, but so numerous as to give a
roughened dotted character to it, are small elevated bodies, some as large as, and
others smaller than, a pin’s head and distinct from the ordinary corpuscles of the
cord and more »kin to the grey bodies I have described on the amnion. They are
more or less solid and composed of a fibro-nucleated tissue arranged in a circle.
As regards the vessels, the arteries are dilated at rather regular intervals, into
well marked sacs constricted off from each other, and communicating by narrow
channels (PL XXXIV, fig. 6).