chap.xxxi.j THE MALE GENITAL ORGANS. 



251 



wider than those of the rete testis, and each leading into 

 a conical network of coiled tubes. These are the coni 

 vasculosi. The sum total of all the coni vasculosi 

 forms the globus major or head of the epididymis. 



330. The vasa efferentia and the tubes of the 

 coni vasculosi are about the size of the seminal 

 tubules, but, unlike them, are lined with a layer of 

 beautiful columnar epithelial cells, with a bundle of 

 cilia (Fig. 140). Outside 

 these is generally a layer, 

 more or less continuous, of 

 small polyhedral cells. The 

 substance of the columnar 

 cells is distinctly longitudi- 

 nally fibrillated. The mem- 

 brana propria is thickened 

 by the presence of a cir- 

 cular layer of non-striped 

 muscular fibres. The rest, 

 i.e., the globus minor, or 

 tail of the epididymis, is 

 made up of a continuation 

 of the tubes of the globus 

 major, the tubes diminish- 

 ing gradually in number by 



fusion, and at the same time thereby becoming larger. 

 The columnar epithelial cells, facing the lumen of the 

 tubes of the globus minor, are possessed of cilia of 

 unusual length. 



The tubes of the epididymis are separated from 

 one another by a larger amount of connective tissue 

 than those of the testis. 



The tubes of the organ of Giralde, situated in 

 the beginning of the funiculus spermaticus, are lined 

 with columnar ciliated epithelium. So is also the 

 pedunculated hydatid of Morgagni attached to the 

 globus major. 



Fig. 140. A tubule of the epi- 

 didynus in cross section. 



The wall of the tubule is made up of 

 a thick layer of concentrically ar- 

 ranged m-n-striped muscular tissue, 

 a layer of columnar epithelial cells 

 with extraordinarily lung cilia pro- 

 jecting into the lumen of the tube. 



