498 A. A. W. HUBRECHT. 



figs. 68, 72, and 73) is seen to consist of an intermediate layer 

 of cells which are much closer together than the connective- 

 tissue cells further outside, and which are much more decidedly 

 fusiform than the proliferating epithelium cells situated below 

 them. 



The reduction of this connective tissue has commenced in 

 figs. 24, 25, and 74; in the following stages (figs. 26 — 30) it 

 has reached its maximum, and if we compare one of them under 

 stronger powers (fig. 89, same stage as fig. 29) we see that the 

 maternal blood-vessels, which are situated outside the pro- 

 liferated region, and which supply the latter and the placentary 

 lacunae with blood, are directly enclosed by the muscularis. 

 The same can be noticed for the lateral regions in figs. 56, 57, 

 83, and 88 a. Of compressed glands distinct traces can yet be 

 found, sometimes even (cf. fig. 30) with an unexpected dis- 

 tension among the proliferated epithelial cells. 



The later increase in thickness of connective tissue between 

 the muscularis and the proliferated region (or rather the 

 remnants of it), which follows on the phases of compression or 

 suppression just described, can be noticed in figs. 31 and 32, 

 fig. 54 being a view of part of the latter figure under yet 

 stronger power. In fig. 54 we see between the muscular and 

 the connective-tissue elements peculiar corpuscles (c) having 

 the aspect of dark granules round a lighter centre. In earlier 

 stages they are noticed in the blood-vessels, but as later on 

 they are not inside but outside those vessels, I have no sug- 

 gestion to offer as to their significance. 



2. The Further Changes of these same Tissues in 

 connection with the Attachment of the Blasto- 

 cyst, and with Different Phases of its Later De- 

 velopment. 

 In the foregoing paragraph changes in the maternal tissue 

 have been described that occurred independently of any simul- 

 taneous embryonic growth that was in direct contact with the 

 maternal surface. 



In this paragraph we shall have further to develop the history 



