SEXUAL ACTIVITIES OF THE SQUID 385 
latory apparatus. It is most easily seen behind the sperm mass, 
but there is evidently considerable liquid along the sides of 
the ejaculatory apparatus. This is especially shown during 
ejaculation. 
The sperm mass (figs. 2 and 23 A, SM) is really composed 
of a thread or sheet of spermatozoa spirally coiled around a 
core of mucilaginous secretion, with the secretion extending 
between the loops of the sperm thread to the surface. The 
sperm forms a sort of elongated thin plate, coiled edgewise so 
one edge rests against the core and the other comes to the sur- 
face. The plate does not meet the surface and core at right 
angles, but is tipped slightly so the surface edge lags behind 
the core edge. By means of the secretion the plate composed of 
individual spermatozoa is consolidated into a very flexible 
cylindrical rod that has the character of a unit body. The 
secretion is tenacious and penetrates in between the spermatozoa, 
but the core and secretion between the loops of the sperm thread 
have very few spermatozoa embedded. Because of the appear- 
ance the sperm mass thus formed is frequently called the sperm 
rope. In the squid the loops of the spiral in the completed 
spermatophore are not very easily seen and, as a rope does not 
consist of a single strand coiled in this way, the term has no 
significance and may be misleading. The secretion mixes 
freely with sea-water, so the spermatozoa obtain their individ- 
ual liberty promptly when the time comes for them to perform 
their function. 
Just oral to the sperm mass is the cement body. This is 
more or less definitely attached to the sperm mass by the core 
of mucilaginous material, which extends orally from the sperm 
mass as a definite cylindrical filament, and by the inner tunic 
which continues from one to the other. The connection be- 
tween the two structures is slight, but sufficient to connect them 
definitely together. 
The cement body (fig. 2, CB) the function of which was not 
determined by Racovitza and was called by him the ‘faux 
boyaux’—is a somewhat elongated pear-shaped body with 
the base somewhat less in diameter than that of the sperm mass 
