6 Minute Anatomy of the ['fJSJil^Z'lAlS!' 
them, they present a more or less rod-like appearance, as figured 
by Axel Key and Engelmann, of a highly refracting nature at the 
extremity, slightly granular towards the base, and with a nucleus 
or mass of germinal matter in the substance nearer the basal 
extremity than the free end. In several cases, I have been enabled 
by careful adjustment of the illumination, to observe a darker central 
portion in the rod part surrounded by a highly refracting substance. 
These I regard, with Bilroth and Axel Key, as belonging to the 
sensory nerve apparatus, the latter simulating them to the olfactory 
cells, and not to epithelium as Engelmann supposes, who names 
them Cylinder-zellen, or cylinder cells. The reasons for this opinion 
are their remaining in connection with the sponge-like glutinous 
mass beneath, in which a fine plexus of nerves can be seen, and the 
definite character they present at the surface, where we may suppose 
the first impressions are made. Hence it will be asked. Do the 
sensory nerves of taste terminate in free ends ? Not as free ends of 
a nerve, but as direct terminal organs consisting of nerve matter 
surrounding a germinal mass or nucleus ; in fact I regard them, to 
the plexus of nerves beneath in the papilla, in the same relation 
as the retinal rods to the optic-nerve, but protected by a mass of 
secreting epithelium, which I suppose capable of aiding, by pro- 
ducing a fluid material, to render sapid the substances ofiered for 
taste, so that it may be presented direct, or possibly by a process of 
dialysis, to these terminal organs, without their being subjected to 
injury. Besides these distinct bodies are small masses of germinal 
matter situated at the bases where these bodies and the epithelia 
are attached, and often visible on looking down into one of the 
fungiform papillae after the other parts are removed (Fig. 5) ; and 
which I regard as belonging, some to the structures proper to each 
as new centres of growth and repair ; whilst others of these germinal 
masses are surrounded by fine granular matter exceedingly delicate, 
and I believe in structural connection with the fine nerve-plexus 
situated at the summit of the sponge-like mass beneath the hemi- 
spherical cap. They are represented by Engelmann as Gabel-zellen, 
or furcate cells. I believe they do not stand up between the epithelial 
and cylindrical bodies, but lie on the surface of the spongiform 
expansion, yet when dragged from this surface they would present 
more or less the appearance figured by Engelmann in Siebold and 
Kolliker's Zeitschrift ' for Dec. 1867. The bifurcations or processes 
I think due to the nervous matter surrounding the little germinal 
mass, as figured by Dr. Beale in his paper on the Tongue of the 
Hyla, being torn away from the adjoining ones. I have drawn one 
such raised from the surface, as seen with its base and two of its 
processes attached to the spongiform mass (Fig. 6), and see no 
reason to separate them from the general plexus at the summit of 
the nerve expansion ; for proceeding farther towards the centre we 
