554 



THE TISSUES. 



Fig. 382. other with the vasa deferentia. Since the 



vesiculas seminales are mere appendages of 

 the vasa deferentia, furnished with saccular 

 or branched processes (Fig. 382), their mu- 

 cous membrane is also similar ; and the last 

 remark may be applied also to the ejacu- 

 latory ducts. The fluid secreted by the ve- 

 siculae seminales is clear, rather viscid, and 

 contains an albuminous compound identical 

 with that contained in the ejaculated semen. 

 Since spermatozoids are so generally con- 

 tained in it, we must assign to these append- 

 ages the double office of secreting a peculiar 

 secretion, and of being a receptacle for the 

 semen. 



The vasa deferentia have a muscular coat 

 A to ^ f an i nca thick, consisting of an 

 external layer of longitudinal fibres, a middle 

 one of transverse and oblique fibres, and an 

 internal one, constituting not more than one- 

 fourth of the whole thickness, of longitudinal 

 fibres. The mucous membrane is T J n of an inch thick, yellowish 

 white, longitudinally plicated, and in the widest portions of the 

 canal presents numerous larger and smaller fossae, disposed in a 

 reticular manner. The deeper two-thirds of the corium is a very 

 closely filled structure of elastic fibres, while the remainder is more 

 transparent. The epithelium is of the simple scaly variety, the 

 cells almost invariably containing some brownish pigment-granules. 

 The vessels and nerves of these three portions of the genital pass- 

 ages require no particular description. 



4. The testes are glands inclosed in a fibrous tunic (the tunica 

 albuginea), which also sends processes into the interior from a 

 thicker portion called the corpus Highmorianum. (Fig. 177.) But 

 for the particulars respecting this and the other tunics, as well as the 

 vessels and nerves, we refer to the works on descriptive anatomy. 



The glandular substance of the testes consists of 100 to 250 pyri- 

 form lobules not everywhere separated, however the apices all 

 converging towards the corpus Highmorianum. Each of these 

 lobules is formed of from one to three seminal tubes ^ to T J^ of 

 an inch in diameter; which, much convoluted, frequently dividing, 



Vesicula seminalis. a. Eja- 

 culatory duct. 6. Vas deferens. 

 c. Vesicula seminalis. d. Ter- 

 minal diverticula. (E. H. We- 

 ber.) 



