486 ON THE FEMORAL GLAND OF ORNlTIIOIiHYNCHUS, 



Each of the channels is Kned by four layers of epithelial cells 

 situated on a basement membrane. Those nearest the basement 

 membrane have large oval nuclei, and are arranged round the 

 duct with their long axes parallel to the basement membrane on 

 which they rest. The innermost layer consists of irregularly 

 pear-shaped cells, with elongated nuclei arranged x^adially, their 

 larger ends towards the duct of which they form the immediate 

 lining. Between these there is a layer one or two cells deep — the 

 cells being of an irregular rounded form and having rounded 

 nuclei. 



Sections of the saccular dilatation at the base of the spur 

 showed similar characters to those of the duct just described, but 

 the enclosed cavity was much larger. No muscular tissue was 

 noted, and from the manner in which this sac is embedded in 

 dense ligamentous tissue, muscular fibre would l>e of little use in 

 this situation. 



When we compared the sections obtained from these specimens 

 with some previously obtained by one of us (M) from a fresh 

 specimen killed in April, 1892, at Wellington, N.S.W., we noticed 

 a very marked difference in the minute structure of the gland 

 and in the character of the cells lining the alveoli (c/. PI. xxix. 

 figs. 1-2, and PL xxx. figs. 1-2). 



( 1 ) The propoi'tion of fibrous tissue to gland structure proper 



was very much greater in the latter. 



(2) The alveoli also were very much smaller, and the duct 



leading from each alveolus, instead of being lined by 

 columnar epithelium, showed four layers of cells as in 

 the larger duct which delivers the poison to the spur as 

 above described. 



(3) In the latter specimen the glandular epithelial cells were 



smaller and more regularly cubical in shape. Their 

 nuclei wei'e rounded and in the middle of the cell, and 

 they and the protoplasm stained readily throughout. 

 The protoplasm was moreover only finely granular. 

 This appearance forms a marked contrast to the large elongated, 

 coarsely granular cells, with their nuclei pushed to the attached 



