OCR Text |
Show 766 PROF. W. II. FLOWER ON yELURUS FULGENS. [Nov. 15, front, rounded posteriorly, compressed in the middle, where it is triangular in section, broad above and narrow below, the sides being longitudinally grooved, and rather depressed and spatulate at its anterior extremity*. Fig. 10. Bone of the penis; natural size. a. Dorsal surface, b. Side view. The portion of the urethra between the urinary bladder and penis is fusiform, the walls being thickened, but presents no distinct salient prostate gland. The vasa deferentia enter near the middle of this portion; and there are neither vesiculae seminales nor Cowper's glands, - M l u r u s agreeing in all these respects with the other arctoid carnivores. The testes are *8" in length, and *5" in greatest thickness. Anal glands^.-In the usual position, on each side of the termination of the rectum, is an oval or, rather, pyriform body (g), with its broadest end directed forwards, *8" in length and *5" in greatest thickness. It has a thin muscular covering developed out of the sphincter ani, and which is prolonged backwards as a strong muscular band, encircling the anus posteriorly, and in front is inserted into the under surface of the penis at the junction of the crura. The levator ani (la) is inserted just above the sphincter, in the fissure between it and the muscular coat of the rectum. The retractor penis (rp) arises from the anterior surface of the rectum, just below, or external to, the anterior portion of the sphincter. Each gland is a very thin-walled capsule, with a smooth, rather shining, lining membrane, and was filled with a soft, cheesy, yellowish- white substance. Its orifice is placed rather in front of the middle of the sac, and opens just within the lateral margin of the anus. A circle, an inch in diameter, around the anus is quite free from hair, and covered with a soft, pale-coloured, corrugated skin, with numerous large sebaceous glands. There is no supra-anal follicle or group of glands. * In the relative size and form of the os penis, Mlurus rather resembles the true Bears than the typical Procyonidce, in all of which animals this structure is very greatly developed and usually bilobed anteriorly. In Procyon it is 4" in length, in Nasua 3" to 3^'', and in Bassaris 2". t The existence of these glands is denied by Hodgson, loc. cit. p. 1124. The same author remarks that Mlurus is free from all offensive odour ; but Dr, Simpson (P. Z. S. 1869, p. 507) says that it has " the power of emitting a strong odour of musk when excited." |