=The Ureter.= _Location._—The ureter extends along the inferior surface of the kidney. It has its origin near the anterior extremity of the kidney, and passing posteriorly the entire length of the kidney receives tributary collecting tubules, and terminates in the upper wall of the cloaca in the urodeumal portion. _Shape._—The ureter gradually enlarges in diameter until it reaches the posterior border of the kidney, and then maintains about the same caliber throughout the rest of its course. _Structure._—The ureter wall is made up of three coats as follows: mucous, muscular and fibrous. _Function._—The ureters serve as a passage way for the urine from the kidneys to the cloaca. THE MALE GENERATIVE ORGANS (Fig. 54) The male generative organs in the fowl consist of two testicles and an excretory apparatus, the vas deferens, for each. =The Testicles.= _Location._—The testicles are located in the sublumbar region of the abdominal cavity, behind the lungs, below the anterior extremity of the kidneys, and opposite the last three ribs. [Illustration: FIG. 54.—The pelvic organs of a cockerel. _A_, Testes. _B_, Rectum. _C_, Cloaca. _D_, Vas deferens. _E_, Kidney. _F_, Adrenal gland. _G_, Lungs. _H_, Ureter. ] _Shape._—The testicles are ellipsoid in shape; their size varies with the different species of birds. The two in the same bird are usually of the same size, though one testicle may be slightly larger than the other. In a summary of a large number of weights of the testicles of ten months old cockerels, the average weight was 0.021 pound each. The average measurements were 2 inches in the major diameter and 1 inch in the minor diameter. In the cockerel before sexual maturity, which is denoted by the male bird’s crowing, the testicles are very small. They resemble, in shape, a navy bean and are yellowish-white in color.