''jt^SXulZVs^] Fungiform Papilla, 
doubt entertained by various observers of their true nature. If we 
take the whole fungiform papilla as seen under the microscope, 
we find at the summit most externally, a hemispherical cap, closely 
fitting over the top of the papilla, and which can be often removed 
entire from the under-surface or support, leaving this surface bald ; 
or it can be under pressure flattened out, generally as a whole, or 
with only minute parts broken up into separate portions (Figs. 1,2); 
at other times when removed we find no longer the bare appearance 
of the under-surface, but nucleated bodies or rods (Fig. 3), pro- 
jecting from the exposed surface, and evidently in strict connection 
with the surface on which they are seated. What then is the nature 
of the cap and the nucleated little tuft seated beneath ? I am 
disposed to regard the entire cap as of a mixed character ; viewed 
on its surface it looks like a compact mass made up of a set of 
closely aggregated nucleated bodies, presenting externally a more 
or less hexagonal facetted appearance, strongly attached at their 
bases and sides, and individually composed at the outer part of a 
formed material somewhat harder than the rest, and nonciliated; 
having within, situated at variable positions, a mass of germinal 
matter or nucleus of a round or oval shape, often with a distinct 
nucleolus or new centre of growth, and the whole intervening por- 
tion filled with a finely granular highly refracting substance. This 
I regard as secreting or glandular epithelium, for, compared with 
the ciliated epithelium if we remove the cilia, it would be almost 
impossible to distinguish between them ; they perhaps as a whole 
are of more uniform size and shape. I do not find any special 
difference, as noted by Dr. Beale, in the size of the nuclear bodies in 
the Hyla, as proportionally larger than in the ciliated variety, and 
which he advances with other reasons as an argument in favour of 
its non-epithelial character. In the frog the nuclei (Fig. 4a) are 
smaller than the nuclei of the ciliated epithelium (Fig. 45) ; but in 
point of length they differ considerably from the generality of the 
epithelia of the mucous crypts (Fig. 4(?), the nuclei of these being 
generally situated at the top or free end, though at the bases, like 
the first, they are structurally united by a fine granular matter, 
which is found in the substance of all. They would correspond 
with the Kelch-zellen, or calyx epithelium, of the latest writer, 
Engelmann, and I believe are regarded by Bilroth and Axel Key 
as epithelial cells, whilst Dr. Beale does not regard the cap " as an 
epithelial structure." 
The nature of the httle tuft of cylinder-like nucleated rods often 
left on the removal of the cap, is yet more difiicult to satisfactorily 
determine ; they are variable in number, shape, and length ; are 
attached at their bases to the crown of the spongiform mass, and pro- 
ject from it, their free extremities radiating from each other under 
pressure : structurally, so far as I have been enabled to determine 
