118 J. T. CUNNINGHAM. 



an early stage they are much less conspicuous iu sections than 

 they are iu the fresh condition. Among my preparations they 

 are most conspicuous in sections from a specimen of Trigla 

 hi r undo caught on September 24th; the portion of the ovary 

 from which the sections were made was preserved in chromic 

 acid i per cent.^ at sea^ immediately after death. In these 

 sections the dead eggs are very numerous, and contain a large 

 quantity of yolk. Each consists of a mass of yolk globules of 

 various sizes, contained in a follicle ; between the yolk globules 

 are nuclei and cells, the latter not distinctly defined. The 

 process that is taking place in these dead eggs is evidently 

 closely similar to that which I have described as occurring in 

 an empty follicle. A proliferation of cells has taken place 

 from the walls of the follicle towards the interior, the cells 

 penetrating into the interior of the mass of yolk, and doubtless 

 effecting its absorption. The question arises whether these cells 

 are derived from the follicular epithelium or from the connec- 

 tive tissue of the wall of the follicle, and I consider the latter 

 alternative is probably correct. In these sections none of the 

 diminishing empty follicles are to be seen, and therefore I am 

 not sure that the specimen was normal ; possibly for some 

 reason or other the discharge of ripe eggs had not taken place, 

 and they were all being reabsorbed in situ. 



In sections from spent ovaries of the plaice preserved in 

 February, as in portions of the same examined iu the fresh 

 condition, small ova in which the formation of yolk has com- 

 menced are to be seen. It is known from the condition of the 

 ovary of the fish iu later months that such eggs die and are 

 absorbed. But I have no preparations showing stages of the 

 absorption in the spent ovary in this species. 



In preparations from part of the ovary of a weever (Tra- 

 chinus draco), preserved immediately after death at sea on 

 September 25th, both empty follicles and aborted eggs can 

 be seen in process of absorption. The empty follicles are 

 much reduced, and small^ and consist of thick-walled capsules 

 full of cellular tissue. Here and there among the rather 

 small ova at the surface of the ovarian lamellae is seen 



