286 THE CAT. [CHAP. ix. 



spheroidal capsules situated beneath the epithelial surface, and 

 opening upon that surface by a minute aperture termed the gustatory 

 pore. These bulbs lie in sheltered situations, such as e.g., in furrows 

 on the tongue and in the outer (lateral) surfaces of the circumval- 

 late papillae the pores opening into the fossa surrounding each such 

 papilla. There are some hundreds of such circumvallate gustatory 

 bulbs, while comparatively few are found upon the fungiform 

 papillae. Each bulb encloses a number of horny, spindle-shaped 

 bodies, with their apices directed towards its pore. These are called 

 investing cells, and are of epithelial nature ; they serve to enclose 

 and protect the actual gustatory cells, each of which is a spheroidal 

 mass of protein substance, ending above (distally) in a rod-like 

 filament. These filaments about reach to the aperture of the 

 gustatory pore. At their base or proximal end each gustatory cell 

 gives off a minute filament, which becomes continuous with one of 

 the ultimate ramifications of the nerves of taste. 



Thus the ultimate organs of taste appear to be so many minute 

 rods proceeding from cells. 



24. The ORGANS or SMELL are contained within the cavity of 

 the nostrils, protected by bones and cartilages. The bones have 

 already been described, and extend backwards from the anterior to 

 the posterior nares. 



The passage which connects these openings gives entrance to 

 currents of air, which habitually pass in through them in respira- 

 tion, and exclusively through them when the mouth is closed. 



But these currents only pass through the lower part of the nasal 

 cavity, which on that account is called the respiratory portion of it. 

 The nasal cavity, however, ascends much above this, namely, up 

 between the orbits, and it is there that the sense of smell is exercised, 

 and into this part the odour-bearing air can only pass by the slow 

 process of diffusion, unless by the action of sniffing, which draws 

 it upwards into that upper part of the nasal cavity. 



The cartilages of the nose are dependencies of the median 

 cartilage or cartilage of the septum, which continues on the more 

 posteriorly situated vertical bony septum (formed by the median 

 ethmoid and vomer), reaching up to the nasal bones and in front of 

 them. Below, it rests (in front of the vomer) on the median raised 

 ridge, formed by the junction of the two maxillae, on the upper 

 surface of the maxillary part of the bony palate. Above, it expands 

 so as to serve as a continuation of the nasal bones, while lateral 

 prolongations of the median cartilage extend out, one on each side, 

 and are so curved (first outwards, then downwards, and then inwards) 

 that each nearly surrounds (while it keeps open) the lower part of 

 one of the nostrils. Behind, each is attached to the maxilla. On the 

 dorsum of the distal end of the median cartilage (between its 

 lateral expansions) there is a deep median groove. 



The nasal fossa? are those cavities the bony walls of which have 

 been already described. They extend from the upper surface of the 

 palate below, to the under surface of the cribriform palate above, 



