8 Emil Goetsch. 
The stratum germinativum requires no special comment except 
that its superficial layers contain no granules of eleidin. 
There is a gradual reduction in thickness of the epithelium going 
down the esophagus. At the middle it is from 58-170 micra in 
thickness with a corneous layer 35 micra in thickness. The super- 
ficial layer of the corneous stratum here consists only of scattered 
cells of the sort described above. 
At the point where the permanent transverse folds make their 
appearance about 1 em. above the cardia there is a change in the 
character of the epithelium. On the surface and sides of these folds 
aero / = — Lamina 
SG Ee propria 
SSS 
Tic. 2. Epithelium from side of transverse folds at lower end of cesophagus 
of Didelphys. > 750. 
the epithelium varies from a double layer of cubical to polygonal 
cells, 10 micra in thickness (Fig. 2), to several layers of cells, the 
superficial layers flattened, 50 micra in thickness. The thin double 
layer of cells is found here and there on the sides of the transverse 
folds, the thicker epithelium on the summits. As shown in Fig. 2 
there is frequently no sign at all of cornification of the superficial 
layer. 
The lamina muscularis mucosee is longitudinal in direction and is 
found throughout the whole wsophagus. At the lower level of the 
ericoid cartilage it makes its appearance as scattered bundles of 
