162 FREDERICK TUCKERMAN. 



about 0045 mm., and its greatest transverse diameter about 

 0-025 mm. 



I examined a very large number of sections of the soft 

 palate and uvula, but did not succeed in finding any bulb-like 

 structures. 



To sum up briefly in conclusion, there are situated at the 

 posterior part of the tongue of Mephitis two large circumvallate 

 papillae. Upon superficial examination the most striking features 

 are their size, the ridged appearance of their upper surface, 

 and their rather unusual shape. Under the microscope each 

 papilla is seen to be divided posteriorly into two unequal lobes 

 or divisions, and to have in the same region a free under sur- 

 face, the trench passing directly beneath its base, thus afford- 

 ing great protection to the bulbs occurring here. Anteriorly 

 the papilla is connected with the tongue by a pedicel-like 

 attachment. 



The taste -bulbs of the circumvallate papillae are very 

 numerous, especially in the epithelium of the under surface, 

 and offer considerable irregularity in shape, size, and distribu- 

 tion. A few bulbs occur in the epithelium of the upper sur- 

 face of the papillae, and in that of the outer wall of the trench. 

 In a single instance I observed a bulb with a nerve-fibril at- 

 tached to its base. Glands of the serous and mucous types 

 are very abundant, but the former are chiefly limited to the 

 gustatory area of the tongue. Serous glands are also met with 

 in the papillary body itself. 



A few fungiform papillae possess isolated bulbs lying in the 

 epithelium at their summit, and they also occur in the upper 

 part of the posterior surface of the epiglottis; but in both 

 these regions they are primitive in character and position. 



