The explanation is that in these animals growth takes place in an
upward direction; so that there must be an abundant collection of
residual matter and of blood in the lower region, that is to say in
the neighbourhood of the orifices for efflux, and here therefore
nature has placed the mammae. For the place in which the nutriment
is set in motion must also be the place whence nutriment can be
derived by them. In man there are mammae in the male as well as in the
female; but some of the males of other animals are without them. Such,
for instance, is the case with horses, some stallions being
destitute of these parts, while others that resemble their dams have
them. Thus much then concerning the mammae.
Next after the breast comes the region of the belly, which is left
unenclosed by the ribs for a reason which has already been given;
namely that there may be no impediment to the swelling which
necessarily occurs in the food as it gets heated, nor to the expansion
of the womb in pregnancy.
At the extreme end of what is called the trunk are the parts
concerned in the evacuation of the solid and also of the fluid
residue. In all sanguineous animals with some few exceptions, and in
all Vivipara without any exception at all, the same part which
serves for the evacuation of the fluid residue is also made by
nature to serve in sexual congress, and this alike in male and female.
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