144 



in diameter — thin, and derived evidently from tne cutaneous follicles 

 or glands. 



The caudate-shaped epithelial cells were large, delicate, and nu- 

 cleated. Their greatest breadth might be five, and their length 

 eleven times the diameter of the human blood-disk. The one ex- 

 tremity was full, rounded, bulging, and contained the nucleus ; — the 

 other was narrow, and terminated in a filiform point. 



The mucus taken from the middle part of the back exhibited the 

 following cellular forms : 1st, the spherical : 2nd, the caudate : 3rd, 

 the tessellated ; to these forms of epithelial cells were added also, a few 

 oil-globules. 1st, the spherical forms of epithelial cells. These varied 

 in size from three to nine times the diameter of the human blood-disk. 

 The smallest cells were nucleated and pretty darkly granular; the 

 larger were paler and more finely granular, whilst the circumferential 

 ring appeared darker and more refractive. The largest cells, though 

 they presented few — and these morphological — differences from the 

 others in anatomical constitution, appeared to differ widely in chemi- 

 cal composition. They were pale, smooth, and delicate ; the nucleus 

 generally interior ; and the granular constituents either entirely ab- 

 sent or imperceptibly fine. They resemble delicate vesicles filled 

 with oil ; and by the action of ether were rendered still paler and less 

 distinct. The first merged into the form last described by a series of 

 almost insensible gradations ; and they evidently possessed a definite 

 morphological relation to each other. Of that relation, however, I am 

 not at present prepared to speak : 1 indicate merely my belief in its 

 existence. 



The caudate forms of cells here met with differed considerably from 

 those observed in the neighbourhood of the mouth. They were not 

 pointed at the one extremity ; in the majority the cell-contents were 

 of a gelatinous consistence ; exosmosis could not be induced in them ; 

 and in not a few the nucleus had escaped, carrying with it a portion 

 of the original cell-wall and leaving a distinct hollow in the substance 

 of the parent cell. 



The tessellated forms were analogous to those already mentioned as 

 having been found in the neighbourhood of the mouth, and will be 

 described at large when speaking of the cutaneous glands. 



Mucus scraped from around the anal orifice, exhibited cellular 

 forms similar to those just described ; but in addition to these, there 

 were observed also certain combinations of epithelium, which will be 

 noticed under the head of glands. The integument about this part 

 was soft and velvety ; and conveyed to the touch an impression simi- 



