1364 



PHYSIOLOGY 



latter, with the object of finally subordinating the activities of the 

 individual to the preservation and perpetuation of the species. 



THE MALE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS 



In all the higher animals we may divide the reproductive organs 

 into the essential organs, which form the germ-cells, the spermatozoa 

 and ova respectively, and the accessory organs, which have as their 

 office the facilitation of the access of the spermatozoa to the ova 



Appendix 



Epididymis 



Tunica vaginalis 



Tunica albuginea 



Septum 



Seminal tubules 



Lobule 

 Mediastinum 



Testis 



~ Vas deferens 



Paradidymis 



Vasa efferentia 



Appendix of rete 

 testis 



,S Vas aberrans 



Lobule 



Straight 

 tubules 



FIG. 558. Diagrammatic representation of the course of the seminal tubules in the 

 testis and epididymis. (After NAGEL.) 



(fertilisation), and in the female the nutrition of the product of ferti- 

 lisation during the early period of its development. 



The essential sexual organ of the male is represented by the testis. 

 This is made up of a collection of convoluted tubules, the seminal 

 tubules, which are contained in a number of compartments separated 

 by fibrous septa. The tubules present few or no branches, each one 

 being about 500 mm. long. The testis is formed in the first instance 

 in the peritoneal cavity from the germinal epithelium, but early in 

 life leaves the abdominal cavity by the abdominal ring to lie in a 

 pouch of skin the scrotum. Several tubules unite to form a straight 

 tubule, which leads by a series of communicating spaces, the rete 

 testis, into the vasa efTerentia (Fig. 558). These unite to form the 

 duct of the epididymis, which forms a mass lying at the back of 

 the testis. The epididymis is composed of the convolutions of 

 this single duct, which is about 20 feet long. From the lower end 



