374 M. P. Tasclicr 07i the Fecundation 



depressed areas or pits lined with a strongly ciliated epithelium. 

 In the middle portion of the margin of the infundibulum (the 

 part nearest in front of the aperture of tlie tube) these meshes 

 are smaller and more regular ; towards the anterior part of the 

 infundibulum they become longer, more irregular, and partly 

 hidden by the folds which are here more strongly developed. 

 The same formations are met with on the muscular band above 

 mentioned and along its inner margin, under certain circum- 

 stances even in a peculiarly high degree of development. A 

 series of considerably larger pits are met with on the right 

 lobe of the infundibulum, reaching from its foremost freer 

 lateral lobe to the ostium infundibuli, decreasing in size 

 landwards. By degrees, as the muscles and folds swell, 

 the pits become deeper and their margins increase in tension 

 so much that they almost meet, and the meshes are converted 

 into bags with small openings. Frequently muscles, vessels, 

 and folds swell contemporaneously around a whole set of such 

 bags, which thus will appear on the bottom of one larger pit, 

 and this ultimately in its turn will be converted into a bag 

 comprising the others. This latter arrangement occurs so 

 frequently that it cannot be considered exceptional ; but the 

 small bags occur in every laying hen after the commencement 

 of spring. In these pits and bags the semen finds protection ; 

 and most probably they contribute to preserve it. In this 

 pitted zone along the margin of the infundibulum the semen 

 is found spread, but, owing to the large superficial area, not 

 closely packed. The largest number of spermatozoa I have 

 found in a single bag is eleven. I have not found them alive 

 later than the twelfth day after pairing. 



After a time these bags degenerate ; and this process first 

 affects those situated in the middle part of the infundibulum, 

 where, as already stated, they are smaller in size and more 

 numerous. Gradually the bags increase in size ; the ciliated 

 cells fall off, leaving a thin transparent basal membrane, which 

 now forms the wall of the bag ; the little opening is closed. 

 At first sight these appearances miglit suggest a hydropic 

 state ; but more extended examination proves that we have a 

 normal state of degeneration before us. In the bags a very 

 few spermatozoa may be found, generally sticking to the wall, 

 sometimes several in small knots together. But the bulk of 

 the contents is formed by degenerate ciliated cells, probably 

 several generations, not only from the wall of the bag itself, 

 but from the general surface of the infundibulum. By ex- 

 amination in a warm chamber (as proposed by Professor 

 Panum) whole streams of loose ciliated cells may be seen, 



