84 FEATHERS. 



are most completely developed resemble the cells which we 

 have seen in the mature feather (see plate II, fig. 11, a) 

 in every other respect, but that they lie less firmly connected 

 together, so that they may readily be isolated, and the peculiar 

 wall of each cell be distinctly seen. The walls are of suffi- 

 cient thickness to prevent their losing their angular shape, 

 even when in the isolated state. There are intercellular spaces 

 between some of them, and such also occur between the fully- 

 developed cells of the perfect feather. The cell-membrane is 

 dark and smooth, and the cell-contents consist of a transparent 

 fluid. A very distinct nucleus is also seen lying upon the wall 

 of each cell. It is oval, and contains one or two nucleoli, 

 which are large in proportion to its size (see the figure). 

 There is no nucleus to be seen in the fully - developed cells, 

 and it is only in very rare instances that its remains can be 

 detected ; it must therefore undergo absorption at some sub- 

 sequent period. The process may, indeed, be followed ;. for 

 example, the cells which form the stages of transition between 

 those delineated in fig. 11 a, and fig. 10, are more closely 

 connected together, the nucleus in them becomes smaller, 

 and its outline more irregular, the nucleolus meanwhile re- 

 mains ; at length both disappear. The degree of development 

 attained by the cells is generally proportionate to their dis- 

 tance from the matrix ; and as that is situated on the inner 

 side of the feather, at the part where the shaft exhibits a 

 furrow, those cells which lie immediately under the cortex, at 

 the back of the shaft, are the most perfectly developed. Now 

 the cells when traced from that part inwards towards the ma- 

 trix, are found to become gradually smaller ; the cell-mem- 

 branes lose their dark outlines, and present a granulous aspect. 

 The nucleus of the larger granulous cells has still the same 

 form as in those previously described with a smooth cell-mem- 

 brane; its size, however, diminishes with that of the cell. 

 The cells in this granulous condition resemble most of the 

 elementary cells of other tissues. Plate II, fig. 11, b, c, repre- 

 sents the stages of transition. Advancing still nearer towards 

 the matrix, the cells are no longer recognizable ; all that we 

 can see being numerous nuclei, which lie close together in a 

 minutely- granulous substance (plate II, fig. 12). 



The process of formation of the cells of the pith is, there • 



