492 CETACEA. 



alcohol, but they appeared to he filled with round nucleated cells. The peduncle 

 is generally contracted at its base, after which it expands, again to contract at its 

 junction with the body itseK, wliich is usually pear-shaped and with walls of con- 

 siderable strength invested by the amnion. Occasionally secondary bodies of the 

 same nature are found attached by a peduncle to those of the amnion. 



A small portion of the amnion with the grey bodies in question in situ is 

 shown as a microscopic preparation in PI. XXXVII, fig. 15. That which doubtless 

 causes the gritty graniilar feel is a series of ciystalline particles. Many of these 

 are quite microscopic in size, but others, and in aggregated heaps, are quite visible to 

 the naked eye and easUy resolved by the aid of a hand-lens. The crystalline bodies, 

 as a rule, are roundish, with a less or more amorphous centre, around which radiate 

 needle or ckib-shaped (fig. 15A) spicules. Some of the globular crystalline objects 

 are tolerably entne, but others are disintegrated, and their acicules are scattered about. 



The basement tissue of the membrane is diaphanous, corpuscular and granular, 

 the nucleated corpuscles here and there being drawn out, and fusiform and oil 

 particles are freely dispersed throughout. 



The allantoic portion of the amnion is also the seat of certain fine moniliform 

 vessels which ramify among the corpuscles and which can be traced on to the 

 sheath of the cord. 



Allantois. — This extends to within 2 inches of the left pole of the chorion 

 and to within 3 inches of its right pole, i.e., it is nearly coincident with the 

 length of the chorion. When the amnion is reflected from off it, the allantois 

 appears as an extremely tliin, transparent membrane, but it must yet have consider- 

 able tenacity, as it does not rupture so readily as the chorion. This sac is entirely 

 devoid of amnion after it leaves the left horn, biit in the right horn it is separated 

 from the chorion by the gelatinous membrana intermedia. This is also the case in 

 its chorionic and amnionic relations in the left horn, where it is encased by that 

 membrane in which the few very fine vessels which go to the amnion are par- 

 tially imbedded. In peeKng off the amnion from the aUantois, it is observed that the 

 corpuscles of the former have no relation to the latter sac. The allantoic fluid 

 measiu'ed 8 quarts or 2 gallons. 



Allantoic body. — A remarkable body was removed from the tubular portion 

 of the aUantois in the right horn of this almost mature uterus. It was dis- 

 covered lying free in the cavity, having floated out when the sac was emptied. 

 It resembled an almond in shape, and was 1-25 inch long and 0-66 broad (PL XXXVI, 

 fig. 5). It showed no signs of having been attached to the allantoic wall. It pre- 

 cisely corresponded to the so-called "hippomanes" met with in the foetal mem- 

 branes of the mare, &c. Under the microscope it was seen (PL XXXVII, fig. 16) 

 to be made up of a loose web of wide-meshed areolar-like substance. The meshes 

 were by no means uniform in size or pattern, nor was the tissue of similar consist- 

 ence. At one spot, the latter was a diaphanous, apparently textureless membrane ; 

 at another, more cellular-looking, fibrous and granular. Thus it did not agree with 

 any simple organic tissue, seeming rather to be an albuminous secretion or plasma 



