6 Diseases of the Genital Organs 



The gubernaculum of carnivora has its cutaneous at- 

 tachment higher and more posteriorly than that of solipeds, 

 the testicles are drawn further backward and upward so that 

 they rest between the posterior portions of the thighs, and 

 the glands are tilted so that their long axes are obliquely 

 downward and forward from the tail of the epididymis. 

 Finally, in swine, the cutaneous origin of the gubernaculum 

 testis is located high in the perineal region just beneath the 

 anus, and the tail of the epididymis with the lesser extrem- 

 ity of the testicle is caught and held at that point with the 

 head of the epididymis and greater end of the testicle pre- 

 senting almost perpendicularly downward. Its direction in 

 the scrotum is almost the reverse of the testicle of the 

 ruminant. 



b. The epididymis, Figs. 2, 3, 4, is formed in part from 

 the tubules of the Wolffian body and partly from the Wol- 

 ffian duct. That portion of the epididymis derived from the 

 tubules of the Wolffian body leaves the anterior or cephalic 

 end of the embryonic testicle as a series of greatly coiled 

 tubules which constitute an enlarged mass designated the 

 head, or globus major, of the epididymis. The tubules all 

 converge to become the single tubule representing the Wol- 

 ffian duct. The latter, greatly coiled, forms the enlongated 

 body of the epididymis which is equal in length to about 

 three-fourths of the long diameter of the testicle. At the 

 caudal or tail end of the testicle the single tube becomes 

 greatly coiled to constitute a second enlargment, the tail, 

 or globus minor. The tube then becomes less coiled and 

 finally straight to constitute the vas deferens. 



The head of the epididymis, through the tubules, the vasa 

 deferentia, is continuous with the tubular structure of the 

 testicle, and through these the spermatozoa escape from the 

 gland and reach the single tube of the body and tail of the 

 epididymis which in turn is continued by the vas deferens. 

 Only the head of the epididymis, therefore, is continuous 

 with the tissues of the testicle, while the body and tail lie 

 closely moulded against the gland and attached to it through 

 the agency of peritoneum and connective tissue. The tail and 



