
IN MAN AND OTHER MAMMALIA, 357 
the germ epithelial layer itself is much thicker as a stratum all round the ovary. 
Most of the large egg clusters below it, at this stage of development, are in com- 
munication superiorly with the corpuscles of the germ epithelium, and separating 
these clusters delicate bundles of young connective tissue, made up of minute 
fusiform corpuscles, may be traced growing up between and around them. In 
the deeper part or fibro-vascular zone of such a young ovary the stroma is rich 
in blood-vessels, and numerous young eggs are imbedded in its meshes, but no 
large eggs, such as we described in the four weeks’ old kitten, are found. 
THE HuMAN OVARY. 
In section, the ovary of a human foetus of about seven months presents a 
somewhat triangular form (fig. 7) The ovary (a) is attached to a stalk or 
peduncle (2) consisting of fibro-vascular tissue, which passes into the ovary at 
the hilum (c), and from the direct prolongations of which the whole stroma is 
derived. On examining a thin section of such an ovary under low powers of the 
microscope, direct prolongations from the stalk are seen proceeding in a radiat- 
ing manner towards the periphery in all directions, and communicating with each 
other in such a manner that the whole stroma becomes arranged in the form of 
a mesh-work consisting of fibro-vascular tissue. In the meshes of this stroma 
are large and small collections of corpuscles. At the periphery of the organ 
the meshes are large, and the contained groups of corpuscles are correspond- 
ingly large; but as we pass deeper into the ovary the meshes with the included 
groups of corpuscles become smaller, till at last we find small meshes containing 
but one or two large corpuscles. 
The surface of such an ovary is very irregular, presenting numerous small 
fossee-like grooves and furrows, seen clearly under a low magnifying power. 
Investing the ovary, and passing round it from one lateral border to the 
other, is a layer of columnar corpuscles. This layer is the germ epithelium 
(h, h), and as it invests the ovary it dips down into and lines certain tubular 
structures and tubiform depressions which, when seen in section, appear as 
passing down from the germ epithelial layer into the substance of the ovary. 
(a). Nature of the Germ Epithelium.—tIn a foetus of 74 months the germ 
epithelium consists of columnar-shaped corpuscles placed side by side and 
arranged as an investment to the whole ovary. 
The germ epithelial layer. rests on a thin irregular stratum of connective 
tissue which is part of the general stroma of the ovary, and is formed by delicate 
processes of the same, which at an earlier stage of development grew upwards 
from the deeper parts of the ovary to surround and inclose in meshes those 
large groups of corpuscles found immediately under the germ epithelium in its 
entire extent. This young connective tissue stratum is the forerunner of the 
tunica albuginea. 
VOL, XXVII. PART III. DA 
