THE FOLLICLE SACS OF THE AMPHIBIAN OVARY. 253 



is evident that the final stages in the disappearance of these cells 

 take place very quickly and that a large amount of material 

 would be necessary in order to trace their entire history. A 

 longitudinal section of one of the follicle sacs found in the ovary 

 of a toad killed on the fifth of June is represented in Fig. 6. The 

 sac measures 0.13 mrn. in length and is, therefore, about one 

 third its original length. The walls of the sac are thinner and 



FIG. 6. A longitudinal section of a degenerating follicle sac taken from the ovary 

 of a toad killed on the fifth of June. Zeiss apoc. 2 mm. Oc. 4. 



much less folded than they were at an earlier period, and its 

 cavity has nearly disappeared. Numerous cells are found closely 

 applied to the walls of the sac at this time, but they show no de- 

 generative changes, and are undoubtedly concerned in the ab- 

 sorption of the follicle sac itself. Much smaller structures of 

 the same general character as that shown in Fig. 6 can be seen 

 in the ovaries of toads killed the latter part of June ; but after 

 this time no traces of them can be found. 



The follicle sacs, having served the important function of at- 

 taching the eggs to the walls of the ovary and of supplying 

 them with nourishment during their growth period, are of 



