422 JAS. P. HILL. 



surface in many places it is no longer sharply marked off from 

 the underlying connective tissue, but there is a gradual transi- 

 tion from the one to the other (fig. 30, ex. syn'.). 



The small and often deeply-staining nuclei are irregularly 

 distributed throughout the altered protoplasm, which stains 

 deeply, and is often vacuolated. The maternal capillaries are 

 now very greatly reduced both in size and in number. They 

 occur quite irregularly in the protoplasm, and no longer form 

 a superficial network (fig. 30, syn. c). 



Polynuclear leucocytes occur in numbers in the connective 

 tissue immediately below the syncytium, but only sparingly 

 in the syncytium itself. 



In regions where disintegration of the syncytium is well 

 marked, i. e. where its remains are practically incorporated 

 with the underlying connective tissue, regeneration of the 

 uterine epithelium has already commenced. Here, as in the 

 human uterus, the uterine epithelium is regenerated by the 

 growth of the gland epithelium at the openings of the uterine 

 glands. In fig. 30 the opening of such a gland is shown, 

 with its lining epithelium spreading out over the degenerate 

 syncytial surface {ex. cyti' .) to form the thin and somewhat 

 irregular uterine epithelium [r. ep.), better seen in fig. 31. 

 The regenerative process does not take place uniformly all 

 over the surface of the syncytium in this region, but in 

 patches, and is apparently conditioned by the stage of degene- 

 ration of the syncytium. 



As we have already pointed out in connection with Stage D, 

 it seems probable that the much more degenerate condition of 

 this region of the syncytium, as compared with the placental, 

 is to be correlated with the presumed early retrogression of the 

 entire omphalopleure. 



II. FcETAL Membranes. — Allantois. — The allantois is the 

 only portion of the foetal membranes which is found intact 

 and persistent in the uterus. In its general relations it is 

 essentially as in the preceding stage. Its outer wall closely 

 follows the folds of the mucosa, and is about three times as 

 extensive as the inner. In parts the outer wall is still closely 



