MALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM. 365 



scrotal sac communicates with the abdominal 

 cavity through the narrow inguinal canal. 

 Slit up one of the scrotal sacs along its ventral surface to 

 expose the testis lying in it. Lay open the inguinal canal. 



b. The testes. 



The testes are a pair of elongated ovoid 

 bodies, of a pink colour, varying greatly in size 

 at different times, and about an inch and a half 

 in length when fully developed. They are attached 

 to the hinder ends of the scrotal sacs, but can 

 easily be pulled back into the abdominal cavity 



c. The epididymes are a pair of irregular masses of 



convoluted tubes, lying along the inner edges 

 of the testes. Each epididymis consists of (1) a 

 soft pinkish body, the caput epididymis, in close 

 contact with the anterior end of the testis ; (2) a 

 narrow band, extending backwards from the caput 

 along the testis ; and (3) a larger, more conical, 

 and much-convoluted body, the cauda epididymis, 

 lying at the posterior end of the testis, and con- 

 nected by a short cord, the gubernaculum, with 

 the bottom of the scrotal sac. 



The epididymes are the modified Wolffian 

 bodies of the embryo, the tubules of which grow 

 into the testes, and so form the vasa efferentia, 

 through which the spermatozoa escape from the 

 testes. 



The spermatic arteries and veins enter and 

 leave the epididymes at their anterior ends. 



d. The vasa deferentia are a pair of whitish tubes one 



of which arises from each cauda epididymis and 

 runs forwards, alongside the testis, to enter the 

 abdominal cavity through the inguinal canal. 

 Within the abdomen it loops round the ureter 

 from the outer to the inner side, and runs back 

 to the neck of the bladder. The first part of 



C 



