No. 3-] AXILLARY GLAND OF BATRACHUS 565 



toward the upper or free end of the cell, a large nucleus, not 

 always round, 10 /a in diameter, with a very conspicuous nucle- 

 olus 3 )M in diameter. The fact that most of the clavate cells 

 have no aperture, leads to the query : How does the secretion 

 escape ? 



In a paper " On the Skin and Cutaneous Sense Organs of 

 Amiurus," Prof. Ramsay Wright, in speaking of similar cells, 

 says — "Perhaps Pfitzner's suggestion that the secretion may 

 be poured out into the inter-epithelial spaces, so as to prevent 

 the entry of water, may not be very far from the truth. It is 

 certain, at least in Amiurus, that there is no aperture to the 

 clavate cell, such as the mucous cell possesses, and their 

 position indicates that lubrication of the surface is not their 

 function. Occasionally a clavate cell may be seen in sections 

 protruding from the surface, but such appearances are probably 

 due to a defect in the superficial layers of the epidermis and to 

 the action of hardening reagents." 



While it is certain in the Toad-fish also, that there is no 

 aperture in the clavate cell such as the mucous cell possesses, 

 it is not so certain that the secretion does not escape to the 

 surface by another method. In sections many of the cells have 

 a rounded top while others are constricted, often abruptly, into 

 a little neck piercing the superficial layer of cells, the length 

 of the neck depending greatly upon the size or maturity of the 

 cell. In rare cases this neck is found ruptured, with the 

 contents streaming out. Now, if the cell is much distended in 

 a flask-shape, it follows that more sections would pass through 

 the sides of the flask than through the neck itself ; hence the 

 greater number of cells with rounded top. In maceration, 

 isolated cells which are fully grown are found sending out 

 prolongations, and as these neck-like protuberances are constant 

 when the gland is macerated in various ways and also in 

 sections, they do not appear to be due to the warping or 

 shrinking effect of reagents. (Fig. Ill, b, c, d.) If a pipette 

 be introduced into the foramen of the gland, and some of the 

 clear, viscid secretion thus drawn out, be examined, it will be 

 found to contain quantities of shrivelled, empty, clavate cells, 

 each with a roughly torn neck and a distinct nucleus at the 



