DEVELOPMENT OF THE TWO MIDDLE GERM-LAYERS. 



121 



first the changes which may be recognised in viewing the germ-disc 

 from the surface, and to theso shall add, secondly, the more im- 

 portant results acquired by series of cross sections. 



At the posterior margin of the germ-disc of the Chick (fig. 81 -4), 

 which consists of two layers lying on the yolk like a watch-glass, we 

 had distinguished not only a short time before incubation, but also 

 during the early hours of that process the crescent (s) and the 

 crescentic groove, and had learned to recognise that this was the 

 place from which the inner germ-layer arose by a process of folding 

 under. 



When, during the first hours of incubation, the germ-layers grow 

 out farther on the yolk, the crescentic groove (fig. 81 J5) is con- 

 verted into the primitive groove (pr), a structure of far-reaching 

 significance. 



The metamorphosis, according to the excellent researches of DUVAL. 

 takes place in the following manner : In the middle of the anterior 

 blastoporic lip, where the outer germ-layer bends over to become 

 continuous with the inner, there arises a small notch, which is 

 directed forwards (fig. 8 1 A sfy ; this gradually elongates into a 

 groove (fig. 81 j5), corresponding with the future longitudinal axis of 

 the embryo, and by the following method : the right and the left halves 

 of the [anterior] blastoporic lip, together with the part which bounds 

 the first notch, grow toward each other, and come in contact with 

 each other in the median plane, with the same rapidity with which the 

 disc increases in super - 



r j n f 



ficial extent. For a time, 



therefore, the blastopore 



has the form of a short 



longitudinal groove, 



which, at its posterior 



end, is bent around into 



two short transversely 



placed crescentic horns 



(s). Finally these also 



have disappeared ; they, 



too, have grown toward 



each other, toward the median plane, and have thtis contributed 



largely to the posterior elongation of the primitive groove. By this 



remarkable process of growth the whole blastopore is converted from 



a transverse fissure into a longitudinal one. 



The accompanying diagrams (fig. 82) serve to illustrate this highly 



Fig. 82. Diagrams to elucidate the formation of the primi- 

 tive groove, after DUVAL. 



The increasing size of the germ-disc in the course of the 

 development is indicated by dotted circular lines. The 

 heavy lines represent the crescentic groove, and the 

 primitive groove which arises from it by the fusion of 

 the edges of the crescent. 



