244 THE MALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM 



deferens and passes upward through the inguinal canal into the 

 body cavity with the spermatic cord. The spermatic cord is com- 

 posed of connective tissue containing the vas deferens, the spermatic 

 artery, spermatic vein, the ner\'e trunk, and a plexus of veins, called 

 the pampiniform plexus. After entering the body cavity, the vas 

 deferens continues anteriorly for a distance, then tin-ns down 

 around the ureter to join the urethra somewhere along its passage 

 from the bladder to the exterior. Each vas deferens has an enlarge- 

 ment, called an ampulla, near its terminal region in the case of 

 primates, shrews, bears, dogs, and most rodents. In some, the 

 walls of this region have mucoid glands, (Fig. 150.) 



Epuliih/mis Vas deff reus 



Tubuli coniorti 

 Seminiferoii 

 iutnde 



Septa 



Fig. 150. — Diagram of the tubular system of a mammalian testis. 



Connected with each vas deferens in the ami)ullar, or terminal, 

 region is a saccular organ, the seminal vesicle. These occur in most 

 mammals, but not in marsupials and carnivora. The neck of each 

 ampulla and each seminal vesicle unite to form the ejacukiiory diiri. 

 There is a large glolnilar mass known as the prostate (/land, which 

 surrounds the urethra near the bladder, and each ejaculatory duct 

 traverses the prostate to join the urethra. The i)rostate contains 

 a number of small glands and occurs in most mammals, but not in 

 marsu])ials. A short distance along the urethra toward the exterior 



