The Process of Breeding. 65 



ing it into two halves. The testicles are two egg shaped 

 bodies placed horizontally in the horse, vertically in 

 cattle and sheep. They are made up of a number (200- 

 300) blind tubes in which is secreted the sperm or semen. 

 The spermatic cord, made up of blood vessels (it is 

 important to remember in castration that the artery of 

 the cord is situated at the front part of it), nerves, serous 

 membrane, lymphatics and a muscle, the cremaster 

 (which withdraws the testicle up into the inguinal canals 

 at castration), the vas deferens (a tube conveying the 

 semen to the penis), suspends the testicle in the scrotum. 

 This spermatic cord is located in what are known as 

 the inguinal canals, entrance to which is obtained 

 through two slits in the abdominal floor; previous to 

 birth the testicles are up in the body, later on they 

 descend through the rings (openings of the canals). In 

 • exceptional cases the testicles do not descend, in such 

 cases the animal is known as a ridgling, original (cryp- 

 torchid) and is often vicious and hard to control. The 

 penis is made up of the urethra, which is situated on the 

 under surface, and erectile tissue, the latter being made 

 up of blood vessels which become engorged with blood 

 during sexual excitement, the erectile tissue forms the 

 glans or head. The sheath (prepuce) is a fold of loose 

 skin that envelopes the penis, it is the location of 

 numerous sebaceous glands. This organ requires careful 

 examination at intervals, or if allowed to become dirty 

 or clogged the passage of the urine is more or less hin- 

 dered, due partially to the castrated male (gelding, steer 

 or wether) urinating in the sheath. The noise made by 

 horses when trotting, is due to the air rushing into the 

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