456 
MONTGOMERY. 
[Vol. XV. 
probably represents the commencement of such a degeneration, 
there lies close to the nucleus what seems to be a much smaller 
nucleus, or a portion of one; and I have found all intermediate 
stages between such a body, which is granular and stains with 
haematoxylin, and the body reproduced in Fig. 253, which 
appears nearly homogeneous and stains with eosin. These 
bodies then seem to be degenerated or cast-off portions of 
nuclei. We might conclude also that the cells in which these 
structures are found, are themselves fated not to develop into 
egg cells, even if they are not degenerating; for no such bodies 
are to be seen in the cytoplasm of the true egg cells. 
These peritoneal cells have the morphological value of ovo- 
gonia. Those which are destined to become ova seem to 
become detached from the pseudoepithelial connection, but in 
such a way that they do not become detached singly, but 
portions, each of which is composed of a number of cells, 
become loosened from the epithelium. Thus the earliest ovo- 
genetic stages are to be found in strings of cells arranged 
radially around a common longitudinal axis, each such string of 
cells situated free in the body cavity (Fig. 270 represents a 
portion of such a string). At the one end of such a cellular 
string lie, densely grouped, the numerous mitoses of the 
ovogonic stages, while the remaining portion of the string is 
usually composed of young ova, sensu strictiori. I have never 
found mitoses in cells which lie singly in the body cavity. 
The first change noticeable in the ovogonium leading to the 
formation of the ovum consists in (1) the increase in the size 
of it and of its nucleus, and (2) in its cytoplasm gradually stain¬ 
ing with haematoxylin. This deep blue staining of the cyto¬ 
plasm, accompanied by its increasing density and the loss of the 
vacuoles in it, continues from now on until yolk granules begin 
to arise in it, when the cytoplasm commences to stain faintly 
with eosin and loses its dense structure. At the conclusion of 
the ovogonium rest stage the nucleolus has increased a little 
in size, accompanying the growth of the nucleus. 
The next stage is a mitosis. Whether there is more than 
one mitotic ,generation separating the ovogonium from the 
ovum I have not been able to determine; the slight differences 
