No. 2.] THE OVARIAN EGG OF LIMULUS. 129 



The terms fiber and fibrils have been here used as descriptive 

 terms for appearances as they present themselves under the 

 microscope ; not in any way to designate the real character of 

 the appearance. 



In the relaxed state of the ovarian tube, and in the folded 

 condition of the basement membrane, this appearance can no 

 longer be discerned. With the increase of lateral pressure the 

 epithelium becomes thicker, and faint indications of distinct 

 cell outlines present themselves. The fibrous network described 

 above is either very obscure or else not visible at all. In the 

 latter case the cell contents appear homogeneous, with granules 

 scattered throughout the protoplasm, and a distinct apparently 

 vesicular nucleus situated nearer the base of the cell. But this 

 is not a permanent condition. Cell outlines become more and 

 more distinct. The granules become larger, clearly defined, 

 uniform in size, and stain with some difficulty, except in such 

 powerful stains as acid fuchsin. They often have a more or 

 less bead-like arrangement. As the granules increase, however, 

 they form large aggregations, occupying nearly the entire cell, 

 and often obscuring the nucleus. At this stage the cell can 

 often be seen to be distinctly striated. The fibers to which 

 this striation is due run parallel with each other, and with the 

 long axis of the cell, perpendicular to the basement membrane. 

 The cells increase greatly in size, and, varying with the lateral 

 pressure, their long axis may be many times that of the short 

 or transverse axis. The form and apparent size of the cell vary 

 with the position which it occupies, and the consequent varia- 

 tion in pressure. Its short or transverse axis may be equal 

 throughout, or the cell maybe greatly narrowed at the base and 

 expanded at the free end. 



At this stage the free end of the cells has a regular, clean-cut 

 outline, and the fibers of the cell body appear to extend to the 

 very surface of the cell. This, however, is not a permanent 

 condition of the cell; for the free border gradually becomes 

 ragged; the fibers appear to be continued into the lumen of the 

 tube, in which a fibrous, deeply staining substance appears to 

 have been secreted. With this substance the cell becomes 

 apparently more and more continuous. The free border of the 



