24 Saunders.— On the Structure and 
The changes which here accompany secretion seem slight 
when compared with those generally met with in the gland- 
cells of animals ; it must, however, be borne in mind that here 
the act of secretion occurs only once ; it begins, lasts for a 
longer or shorter time, and ceases as the flowers pass maturity, 
but does not recur. Consequently there is no repetition of 
the cycle of changes, nor is there any indication of the active 
constructive metabolism, of the regeneration of the protoplasm, 
which must necessarily take place in cases where the cells exert 
their secretory power again and again. Moreover, it almost 
necessarily follows from the comparatively long period of time 
over which the one act of secretion extends, that the changes 
which do occur should be very gradual. 
There is one other point which may be mentioned in 
connection with the histological appearance of the glands. 
After the ovaries have lain for several weeks in alcohol, bodies 
sometimes spherical, sometimes more or less irregular, and 
often exhibiting a double outline, make their appearance ; 
they are most abundant in the gland-cells, and especially in 
the later stages. They appear to resist the action of both 
acids and alkalies ; with regard to staining reagents they 
behave like and are probably identical with the ‘ amyloid- 
blaschen’ mentioned by Behrens 1 ; these latter were regarded 
by him as being probably some form of carbohydrate origin- 
ally in solution, but which separated out owing to the pro- 
longed action of the alcohol. 
1 Flora, 1 8 79, p. 85. 
