NERVE ENDORGANS IN THE EAR 297 
DISCUSSION 
The results of my studies, as presented above, agree on the 
origin of the macula neglecta with the view of Fleissig, for it has 
been shown that this macula is derived directly from the macula 
partis inferioris. Even after the neuroepithelium has been com- 
pletely separated by the undifferentiated epithelium from the 
pars inferioris, the macula neglecta remains for a long time in 
‘connection with the macula sacculi. 
The common neuroepithelium on the ventro-medial wall of the 
auditory vesicle of stage 1 begins to divide into the utricular and 
the saccular portions (stage 2), the histological changes in the 
epithelium keeping pace with the external changes in form. 
The more strictly utricular portion swells to form the crista 
anterior, crista lateralis and macula utriculi, which are united 
by means of a tall epithelium. The more strictly saccular por- 
tion, separated from the utricular portion by flattened epithe 
lium (stage 3) still extends from the medial wall of the canalis 
utriculo-saccularis upwards further into the floor of the utriculus. 
After the macula saccularis has been differentiated (stage 3) 
the macula neglecta gradually protrudes more and more into the 
lumen and in stage 4 discloses a border free of nuclei, but is still 
connected by means of a cubical epithelial layer with the macula 
sacculi. Furthermore, the crista ampullaris posterior becomes 
entirely free from the saccular portion, while the papillae basilaris 
and lagenae still maintain their connection with the macula 
saccularis by means of a bridge of cubical epithelium. In stage 
5 the well developed macula neglecta may be seen as a mound- 
shaped structure as in adult specimens. 
The existence of two maculae neglectae I have failed to demon- 
strate in my Trigonocephalus material, although I have minutely 
examined the rather comprehensive series of the different stages. 
Fleissig says: ‘‘1) die macula sacculi, welche nicht mehr die 
ganze mediale Sacculuswand, sondern nur mehr deren unteresten 
Abschnitt einnimmt. Ein Epithel, das etwas hoher ist als das 
indifferente Wandepithel und ganz typisch in der Umgebung der 
Nervendstellen vorkommt, erstreckte sich von der Macula 
