OWN [$303 ‘@ & i 4 9 Gornell University Library Ithaca, Nem York THE ELEMENTS OF EMBRYOLOGY. THE ELEMENTS OF EMBRYOLOGY BY M. FOSTER, M.A., M.D., LL.D., FBS. PROFESSOR OF PHYSIOLOGY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE, FELLOW OF TRINITY COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE, AND THE LATE FRANCIS M. BALFOUR, M.A., LL.D. F.RS., LATE FELLOW OF TRINITY COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE, AND PROFESSOR OF ANIMAL MORPHOLOGY IN THE UNIVERSITY. EDITED BY ADAM SEDGWICK, M.A., FELLOW AND ASSISTANT LECTURER OF TRINITY COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE, AND WALTER HEAPE, LATE DEMONSTRATOR IN THE MORPHOLOGICAL LABORATORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE. London: MACMILLAN AND CO. AND NEW YORK. 1889 [4U Rights reserved.] x U4 Ese A.9 56l First Edition 1874. Second Edition revised 1883. Reprinted 1889. PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. Wuen this little work first appeared, it was put for- ward as a Part I, to be followed by other Parts. That plan was however soon abandoned. Nevertheless the volume seemed to have a place of its own; and my dear lost friend undertook to prepare a second edition, in- tending to add some account of the development of the Mammal with a view of making the work an elementary introduction to vertebrate embryology more particularly suited for medical students. He was occu- pied with the task at the time of his sad death; and indeed a melancholy interest is attached to. some of the sheets, by the fact that he had taken them to Switzer- land with him, on that fatal journey. All the first part up to p. 160 he had passed for press; and he had further revised up to about p. 202. The whole of the rest of the volume has been under- vi PREFACE. taken by Mr Adam Sedgewick and Mr Walter Heape. They have attempted to carry out as far as possible what we believe to have been Balfour’s views, and trust that the public will judge leniently of their efforts to perform a difficult task. I have myself been able to do no more than offer general advice from time to time; and though it has not been thought advisable to change the title, the merits as well as the responsi- bilities of the latter part of the work must rest with them. M. FOSTER. TRiInITY CoLLEGE, CamBRIDGE, March, 1883. TABLE OF CONTENTS. PART I. THE HISTORY OF THE CHICK. CHAPTER I. Tue Srructure or THE Hen’s Eae, anpD THE CHANGES WHICH TAKE PLACE UP TO THE BEGINNING oF INCUBATION + pp. I—24. The shell and shell-membrane, 1—3. The albumen, 3. The vitelline membrane, 4. The yolk, s—7. Area opaca, 7. Area pellucida, 8. The structure of the blastoderm, 7—10. Recapitu- lation, 10. The ovarian ovum, 11—15. The descent of the ovum along the oviduct, 15—17. Impregnation, 17. Segmentation, * 18—24. CHAPTER II. Brier Summary oF THE WHOLE History or IncuBarion, PP. 25—47- The embryo is formed in the area pellucida, 25. The germinal layers, 25, 26. The extension of the blastoderm over the yolk, 26. The vascular area, 27. The head-fold, 27—36. The tail-fold, 37. The lateral folds, 37. The yolk-sac, 37. The alimentary canal, 39. The neural tube, 39, 40. The body-cavity, 41. The somatopleure, 41. The splanchnopleure, 42. The stalk of the yolk-sac, 42, 43. The amnion, 43—46. The allantois, 46, 47. ; vill TABLE OF CONTENTS. OHAPTER III. Tur CHANGES WHICH TAKE PLACE DURING THE First Day oF Incvu- BATION : 3 : pp- 48—76. Variations in the progress of development, 48, 49. The embryonic shield, 49. Formation of hypoblast, 51. The germinal wall, 52. The primitive streak, 52—54. Formation of primitive streak meso- blast, 54, 55. Hypoblastic mesoblast, 55. Primitive groove, 56, 57. The notochord, 5g7—62. The medullary groove, 62, 63. Ammion, 63. The changes taking place in the three layers, 63—66. The germinal wall, 65, 66. The increase of the head-fold, 66. The closure of the medullary canal, 66, 67. The cleavage of the mesoblast ; formation of spanchnopleure and somatopleure, 68. The vertebral and lateral plates, 69. The mesoblastic somites, 70. The sinus rhomboidalis, 71. The neurenteric passage, 71—74. Formation of the vascular area, 74,75 Recapitulation, 75, 76. CHAPTER IV. Tur CHANGES WHICH TAKE PLACE DURING THE First Haur or THE : Sreconp Day . 7 - pp. 77—95. Increasing distinctness and prominence of embryo, 77. The first cerebral vesicle, 78, 79. The auditory pits, 81. Increase in number of mesoblastic somites, 81. The fore-gut, 82. The heart, 82—89. The vascular system, 89—94. Formation of blood-vessels, g2—94. The rudiment of the Wolffian duct, 94. Summary, 94, 95. CHAPTER V. Tae CHANGES WHICH TAKE PLACE DURING THE SEconD HatF or THE Szconp Day . zs as pp. 96—108. Increasing prominence of the embryo; the tail-fold and lateral folds, 96. Continued closure of medullary canal, g6—98. The brain, 98—101. The optic vesicles, 98. The second and third cerebral vesicles, 100. The cerebral hemispheres, 100. First appearance of cranial nerves, 100, ro1. The notochord, ror. The cranial flexure, 101. The auditory vesicle, 101. Increase of curvature of heart, ror, TABLE OF CONTENTS. 1x 102. Auricular appendages, 102. Vascular System, 102—106. Commencement of circulation, 102. The primitive aortw and first pair of aortic arches, 102, 103. The vitelline vessels and sinus ter- minalis, 103, 104. The course of the circulation, 105. The second and third pairs of aortic arches, 105, 106. The Wolffian duct and first appearance of Wolffian body, 106. The growth of the amnion, 107. The first appearance of the allantois, 107. Summary, 107, 108. CHAPTER VI. THE CHANGES WHICH TAKE PLACE DURING THE THIRD Day, PP. 109—194. The diminution of the albumen, 109. The spreading of the opaque and vascular areas, 109, 110. The vascular area, 110—113. The continued folding-in of the embryo, 113. Theincrease of the amnion, 113. The change in position of the embryo, 113—116. The curvature of the body, 116. The cranial flexure, 116,117. The brain, 117—123. Growth of the vesicle of the cerebral hemispheres, 117. The lateral ventricles, 117. The vesicle of the 3rd ventricle or thalamencephalon, 117. The rudiment of the pineal gland, 117, 118. The infundibulum, 119. The stomodeum, 119. The pituitary body, 119—121. Changes in the mid-brain, the corpora bigemina, crura cerebri and iter, 121. Changes in the hind-brain, the medulla, cerebellum, 4th ventricle, 121, 122. Changes in the neural canal, 122, 123. The cranial and spinal nerves, 123132. The neural band, 123—126. The fifth, seventh, ninth and tenth cranial nerves, 126, 127. Later develop- ment of cranial nerves, 127—129. The spinal nerves, 129. The shifting of point of attachment of nerves, 131. Anterior roots, 131. The eye, 137156. The first changes in the optic vesicles, 132, 133. The secondary optic vesicle and development of the lens, 134—137. The choroidal fissure, 137—140. The choroid, sclerotic and cornea, 140, 141. The further development of the optic vesicle, 141. The ora serrata, 142. The iris, 142. Pigment epithelium of choroid, 142. The ciliary processes, uvea, ciliary muscle and ligamentum pectinatum, 144. The histological changes in the retina, 144—146. Optic nerve, 146,147. The choroid fissure, 147. The pecten, 148. The histo- logical changes in tha lens, 149, 150. The vitreous humour, 150. The cornea, 150—153. The aqueous humour, 153. Summary of the development of the eye, 154, 155. The eyelids, 155. The lacrymal glands and duct, 155, 156. The organ of hearing, 156—161. Closure x TABLE OF CONTENTS. of the auditory involution, 157. The otic vesicle, 157. The mem- branous labyrinth, 158, 159. The osseous labyrinth, 159, 160. Com- parison of ear with eye, 160, 161. The organ of smell, 161, 162. The olfactory lobes and nerves, 162. The visceral arches and visceral clefts, 162—167. Superior maxillary, and fronto-nasal processes, 164, 165. Fate of first visceral cleft, 165, 166. The meatus audi- torius externus, 166. The tympanic membrane, 166. The Eustachian tube and tympanic cavity, 165, 166. The fenestra ovalis and rotunda, 166. The columella, 166, 167. The vascular system, 167—170. The aortic arches, 167. Changes in the heart, 167, 168. The venous system, 169, 170. The meatus venosus, cardinal veins and ductus Cuvieri, 169, 170. The alimentary canal, 171—185. Folding in of the splanchnopleure, tail-fold, 171, 172. The mesentery, 172, 173. CGisophagus and stomach, 173. The intestine, 174. The postanal gut, neurenteric canal and proctodeum, 174—176. The lungs, 176—178. The liver, 178—181. The pancreas, 181. The thyroid body, 181, 182. The spleen, 182. The growth and blood-vessels of the allantois, 182—184. The mesotlast, 185—193. The muscle-plates, 186—189. The intermediate cell-mass and Wolffian body, 189—193. A typical Wolffian tubule, 193. Change of position of Wolffian ‘duct, 193. Summary, 193, 194. CHAPTER VII. THE CHANGES WHICH TAKE PLACE ON THE FourtH Day, pp. 195—231. Appearance on opening the egg, 195. Growth of amnion, 195, 196. The vitelline duct, 196. Increase of cranial flexure and tail-fold, 196— 198. The first appearance of the limbs, 198. The growth of the brain, 200. The face, 202. Changes in the nasal pits, 202. The sto- modeum and mouth, 202, 203. The cranial nerves, 203. Changes in the mesoblastic somites, 204—212. The membranous vertebral column, 205. The secondary segmentation of the vertebral column and formation of the permanent vertebr®, 2zog—207. Recapitulation, 207,208. The changes in the notochord, 208—211. Ossification of vertebr@, 209, 210. The changes in the muscle plates, 211, 212. Wolffian body and duct, 212-214. The Miillerian duct, 214—218. The kidney and ureter, 218—220. The ovaries and testes, 220—223. Fate of the embryonic urinogenital organs, 223, 224. Changes in the arterial system, 224226. Changes in the venous system; veins of the liver, 226—229. Changes in the heart; the ventricular septum, 229, 230. Summary, 230, 231. TABLE OF CONTENTS. X1 CHAPTER VIII. Tuer CHANGES WHICH TAKE PLACE ON THE Firru Day, pp. 232—274. Appearance on opening the egg, 232. The changes in the limbs, 233, 234. The pectoral and pelvic girdles; the ribs and sternum, 234, 235. The development of the skull, 235—246. The cranium, 235. The parachordals and notochord, 237, 238. The trabecule, 239—241. The sense capsules, 241, 242. Membrane and cartilage bones, 242. Skeleton of visceral arches, 242—245. Table of bones, 246. The changes in the face, 246—251. The posterior nares, 251. Changes in the spinal cord; its histological differentiation, 251254. The central canal; and the posterior and anterior fissures, 254—256. Changes in the heart, 256—264. Septum in the bulbus and semilunar valves, 257—289. The cardiac valves, 262. The foramen ovale and Eustachian valve, 262—264. The pericardial and pleural cavities, 264—269. Histological differentiation and the fate of the three primary layers, 269—273. Summary, 273, 274. CHAPTER IX. From tae Sixta Day to tof Enp or Inevpation, pp. 275—303- The appearance of distinct avian characters, 275. The fetal appendages during the 6th and 7th days, 276—278. During the 8th, oth and roth days,278. From the 11th to the 16th days, 278, 279. From the 16th day onwards, 279, 280. Changes in the general form of the embryo during the 6th and 7th days, 280—282. During the 8th—roth days, 282. From the 11th day onwards, 282. Feathers, 282. Nails, 283. Ossification, 283. Changes in the venous system before and after the commencement of pulmonary respiration, 283—289. Changes in the arterial system, the modification of the aortic arches, 289—297. Summary of the chief phases of the circulation, 297—303- Hatching, 303. xii TABLE OF CONTENTS. PART II. THE HISTORY OF THE MAMMA- LIAN EMBRYO. InrRopucTION, pp. 307, 308. CHAPTER X. GenERaL DEVELOPMENT OF THE Hupryo . . pp. 309—34I- The ovarian ovum, 309, 310. The egg-membranes, 310. Ma- turation and impregnation, 310—312. Segmentation, 312—314. The blastodermic vesicle, 314—316. The formation of the layers, 316— 320. ‘The primitive streak and groove, 319, 320. The medullary groove, 320, 321. The mesoblast, 321325. The notochord, 325, 326. The rudiment of the neurenteric canal, 326. Recapitulation, 326. The vascular area, 326. General growth of the embryo, 327—334. The human embryo, 335—341. Embryos of guinea-pig, etc. with so- called inversion of the layers, 341. CHAPTER XI. Emsryontc Mempranes AND YouE-Sac. . . pp. 342—364. The typical development of the embryonic membranes, 342—352. Vascular area of rabbit, 343346. The yolk-sac or umbilical vesicle; amnion, 343. The subzonal membrane, 346. Attachment of blasto- dermic vesicle to uterine walls, 347. The formation of the chorion, 348. Mesoblast and blood-supply of the allantois, 348, 349. The placenta, 349, 350. The fate of the embryonic membranes, 350—352. Deciduate and non-deciduate type of placenta, 352. Comparative history of the mammalian fetal membranes, 352—359. Footal mem- branes of Monotremata and Marsupialia, 352. The discoidal pla- centa, 353, 354. The metadiscoidal placenta, 354358. The zonary placenta, 358, 359. The diffuse and polycotyledonary placenta, 359. Comparative histology of the placenta, 359—363. Evolution of the placenta, 364. TABLE OF CONTENTS. xiii CHAPTER XII. Tue DEvELOPMENT oF THE ORGANS IN MamMaLia, pp. 365—422. The organs derived from the epiblast, 365—400. Hairs, 365. Glands, 366. The hind-brain, 367—370. The mid-brain, 370, 371. General development of fore-brain, 371. Thalamencephalon, 371 —376. Pituitary body, 372, 373. Pineal gland, 373376. Cerebral hemispheres, 376—385. The olfactory lobes, 385. Histogenesis of brain, 385—387. The eyes, 387—390. Choroid slit, membrana capsulo-pupillaris and arteria centralis retinw, 389. The auditory organ, 390—397. Accessory auditory structures, 397—399. The nasal organ, and organ of Jacobson, 399. Cranial and spinal nerves; sym- pathetic system, 400. Organs derived from the mesoblast, 400o—417. The vertebral column, 400, 401. The skull, 4o1. The visceral arches, 402. Man- dibular and hyoid arches; malleus, incus, and stapes, 403—405. Ribs; sternum; pectoral and pelvic girdles, 405. Skeleton of the limbs, 406. Body-cavity; pericardial, pleural cavities and dia- phragm, 406. The vascular system, 406—413. The heart, 406, 407. The ar- terial system, 407—409. The venous system, 409—413. The supra- renal bodies, 413, 414. The urinogenital organs, 414—417.- Wolffian duct and body ; kidney ; ovary and testis, 414, 415. Genital cord, 415. Urinogenital sinus and external generative organs, 415 —417- Alimentary canal and its appendages, 417—422. Splanchnic mesoblast and mesentery, 419, 420. Stomod#um, 420, 421. Hard and soft palate, 420, 421. Teeth, 421. Proctodeum, 422. APPENDIX ‘: 3 Pp. 423—471. Incubators, 423—425. Hardening reagents, 425—428. Staining reagents, 428—432. Imbedding, 432—434. Cutting sections, 434, 433° Mounting sections, 436. Preservation of embryos as a whole, 430 437+ X1V TABLE OF CONTENTS. Practical directions for obtaining and studying chick embryos, 437 —460. Examination of a 36—48 hours embryo, 437—444. Of an embryo of about 48—so hours, 444—447- Of an embryo at the end of the 3rd day, 447—451. Of an embryo of the 4th day, 451—453- Of a blastoderm of 20 hours, 453—456. Of an unincubated blasto- derm, 457. Of the process of segmentation, 458. Of the later changes of the embryo, 459. Of the development of blood-vessels, 459, 460. Practical directions for obtaining and studying Mammalian em- bryos, 460—471. Animals and breeding, 460, 461. Examination and treatment of segmenting ova, 461—464. Of the blastodermic vesicle, 72—90 hours, 465. Of the blastodermic vesicle of 7 days, 465, 466. Of an 8 days embryo, 466—468. Of an embryo of 8 days 12 hours, 468, 469. Of the foetal membranes of an embryo of 14 days, 469, 470. Note A. Automatic microtome, 471. Nore B. New method of mounting sections, 471. PART I. THE HISTORY OF THE CHICK. CHAPTER I. THE STRUCTURE OF THE HEN’S EGG, AND THE CHANGES WHICH TAKE PLACE UP TO THE BEGINNING OF IN- CUBATION. In a hen’s egg quite newly laid we meet with the following structures. Most external is the shell (Fig. 1, s.), composed of an organic basis, impregnated with calcic salts. It is sufficiently porous to allow of the interchange of gases between its interior and the exter- nal air, and thus the chemical processes of respiration, feeble at first, but gradually increasing in intensity, are carried on during the whole period of incubation. It is formed of two layers, both of which may contain pigment. The inner layer is by far the thickest, and is perforated by vertical canals which open freely on its inner aspect. Superficially these canals appear to be closed by the extremely thin outer layer. They are probably of some importance in facilitating the pene- tration of air through the shell. Lining the shell, is the shell-membrane, which is double, being made up of two layers: an outer thicker BF. & B. 1 2 THE HEN’S EGG. [CHAP. (Fig. 1, s. m.), and an inner thinner one (7. s.m.). Both of these layers consist of several laminz of felted fibres of various sizes, intermediate in nature between connec- tive and elastic fibres. Fig. 1. Diagrammatic SECTION OF AN UNINCUBATED Fowl’s Eee | (modified from Allen Thomson). bi. blastoderm. w. y. white yolk. This consists of a central flask-shaped mass and a number of layers arranged con- centrically around this. y. y. yellow yolk. ». ¢. vitelline membrane. w. layer of more fluid albumen immediately surrounding the yolk. w. albumen consisting of alternate denser and more fluid layers. ch. 7. chalaza. a, ch. air- chamber at the broad end of the egg. This chamber is merely a space left between the two layers of the shell-mem- brane. 7. s. m. internal layer of shell-membrane. s. m. external layer of shell-membrane. ss. shell. 1.] THE WHITE OF THE EGG. 3 ‘Over the greater part of the egg the two layers of the shell-membrane remain permanently in close appo- sition ; but at the broad end they tend to separate, and thus to develope between them a space into which air finds its way. This air-chamber, as it is called, is not to be found in perfectly fresh eggs, but makes its appearance in eggs which have been kept for some time, whether. incubated or not, and gradually increases in size, as the white of the egg shrinks in bulk from evaporation. Immediately beneath the shell-membrane is the white of the egg or albumen (Fig. 1, w.), which is, chemi- cally speaking, a mixture of various forms of proteid material, with fatty, extractive, and saline bodies. The outer part of the white, especially in eggs which are not perfectly fresh, is more fluid than that nearer the yolk. Its average composition may be taken as ‘12-0 p. c. proteid matter, 15 p.c. fat and extractives, 5 p. c. saline matter, chiefly sodic and potassic chlorides, with phosphates and sulphates, 86:0 p. c. water. The white of the egg when boiled shews in section alter- nate concentric layers of a transparent and of a finely granular opaque material. In the natural condition, the layers corre- sponding to these opaque layers are composed of more fluid albumen, while those corresponding to the transparent layers are less fluid, and consist of networks of fibres, containing fluid in their meshes. The innermost layer, however, immediately surrounding the yolk (Fig. 1, 2.), is of the more fluid finely granular kind. In eggs which have been hardened a spiral arrange- ment of the white may be observed, and it is possible to 1—2 4 THE HEN’S EGG. [CHAP. tear off laminz in a spiral direction from left to right, from the broad to the narrow end of the egg. Two twisted cords called the chalazw (Fig. 1, ch. 1), composed of coiled membranous layers of denser albu- men, run from the two extremities of the egg to the opposite portions of the yolk. Their inner extremities expand and merge into a layer of denser albumen sur- rounding the fluid layer next the yolk. Their outer extremities are free, and do not quite reach the outer layer of the white. Thus they cannot serve to suspend the yolk, although they may help to keep it in position, by acting as elastic pads. The interior of each chalaza presents the appearance of a succession of opaque white knots; hence the name chalaze (hailstones). The yolk is enclosed in the vitelline membrane (Fig. 1, v.¢.), a transparent somewhat elastic membrane easily thrown into creases and wrinkles. It might almost be called structureless, but under a high power a fine fibrillation is visible, and a transverse section has a dotted or punctuated appearance ; it is probably there- fore composed of fibrils.‘ Its affinities are with elastic connective tissue. The whole space within the vitelline membrane is occupied by the yolk. To the naked eye this appears ‘tolerably uniform throughout, except at one particular point of its surface, at which may be seen, lying imme- diately under the vitelline membrane, a small white disc, about 4 mm. in diameter. This is the blastoderm, or cicatricula, A tolerably typical cicatricula in a fecundated egg will shew an outer white rim of some little breadth, and within that a circular transparent area, in the centre of 1.] THE WHITE YOLK. 5 which, again, there is an opacity, varying in appearance, sometimes homogeneous, and sometimes dotted. The disc is always found to be uppermost whatever be the position of the egg, provided there is no restraint to the rotation of the yolk. The explanation of this is to be sought for in the lighter specific gravity of that portion of the yolk which is in the neighbourhood of the disc, and the phenomenon is not in any way due to the action of the chalaze. A section of the yolk of a hard-boiled egg will shew that it is not perfectly uniform throughout, but that there is a portion of it having the form of a flask, with a funnel-shaped neck, which, when the egg is boiled, does not become so solid as the rest of the yolk, but remains more or less fluid. The expanded neck of this flask-shaped space is situated immediately underneath the disc, while its bulbous enlargement is about in the middle of the yolk. We shall return to it directly. The great mass of the yolk is composed of what is known as the yellow yolk (Fig. 1, y. y.). This consists of spheres (Fig. 2, A.) of from 25 to 100’ in diameter filled with numerous minute highly refractive granules ; these spheres are very delicate and easily destroyed by crushing. When boiled or otherwise hardened in situ, they assume a polyhedral form, from mutual pressure. The granules they contain seem to be of an albuminous nature, as they are insoluble in ether or alcohol. Chemically speaking the yolk is characterized by the presence in large quantities of a proteid matter, having many affinities with globulin, and called vitellin. This exists in peculiar associa- 1 »=-001 mm. 6 THE HEN’S EGG. (CHAP. tion with the remarkable body Lecithin. (Compare Hoppe- Seyler, Hab. Phys. Chem. Anal.) Other fatty bodies, colouring matters, extractives (and, according to Dareste, starch in small quantities), &c. are also present. Miescher (Hoppe-Seyler, Chem. Untersuch. p. 502) states that a considerable quantity of nuclein may be obtained from the yolk, probably from the spherules of the white yolk. Fie, 2. A. Yellow yolk-sphere filled with fine granules. The outline of the sphere has been rendered too bold. B. ‘White yolk-spheres and spherules of various sizes and pre- senting different appearances. (It is very difficult in a woodcut to give a satisfactory representation of these pe- culiar structures.) The yellow yolk, thus forming the great mass of the entire yolk, is clothed externally by a thin layer of a different material, known as the white yolk, which at the edge of the blastoderm passes underneath the disc, and becoming thicker at this spot forms, as it were, a bed on which the blastoderm rests. Immediately under the middle of the blastoderm this bed of white yolk is connected, by a narrow neck, with a central mass of similar material, lying in the middle of the yolk (Fig. 1, w. y.). When boiled, or otherwise hardened, the white yolk does not become so solid as the yellow yolk; hence the appearances to be seen in sections of the hardened yolk. The upper expanded extremity of this neck of 1] THE YELLOW YOLK. 7 white yolk is generally known as the “nucleus of Pander.” Concentric to the outer enveloping layer of white yolk there are within the yolk other inner layers of the same substance, which cause sections of the hardened yolk to appear to be composed of alternate concentric thicker lamine of darker (yellow) yolk, and thinner lamin of lighter (white) yolk (Fig. 1, w, y.). The microscopical characters of the white yolk elements are very different from those of the yellow yolk. Itis composed of vesicles (Fig. 2, B.) for the most part smaller than those of the yellow yolk (4u—75y), with a highly refractive body, often as small as lp, in the interior of each; and also of larger spheres, each of which contains a number of spherules, similar to the smaller spheres. Another feature of the white yolk, according to His, is that in the region of the blastoderm it contains numerous large vacuoles filled with fluid; they are sufficiently large to be seen with the naked eye, but do not seem to be present in the ripe ovarian ovum. It is now necessary to return to the blastoderm. In this, as we have already said, the naked eye can distin- guish an opaque white rim surrounding a more trans- parent central area, in the middle of which again is a white spot of variable appearance. In an unfecundated cicatricula the white disc is simply marked with a number of irregular clear spaces, there being no proper division into a transparent centre and an opaque rim. The opaque rim is the commencement of what we shall henceforward speak of as the area opaca; the central transparent portion is in the same way the 8 THE HEN’S EGG. [CHAP. beginning of the area pellucida. In the part corre- sponding to the area opaca the blastoderm rests imme- diately on, the white yolk; underneath the area pellu- cida is a shallow space containing a nearly clear fluid, to the presence of which the central transparency seems to be due. The white spot in the middle of the area pellucida appears to be the nucleus of Pander shining through. Vertical sections of the blastoderm shew that it is formed of two layers. The upper of these two layers is composed, see Fig. 3, ep, of a single row of cells, with their long axes arranged vertically, adhering together so as to form a distinct membrane, the edge of which rests upon the white yolk. After staining with silver nitrate, this membrane viewed from above shews a mosaic of uniform polygonal cells. Each cell is composed of granular protoplasm filled with highly refractive globules; and in each an oval nu- cleus may be distinguished. They are of a nearly uniform size (about Y x) over the opaque and the pellucid areas. The under layer (Fig. 3, /), is composed of cells which vary considerably in diameter; but even the smaller cells of this layer are larger than the cells of the upper layer. They are spherical, and so filled with granules and highly refractive globules, that a nucleus can rarely be seen in them: in the larger cells these globules are identical with the smaller white yolk spheres. The cells of this layer do not form a distinct mem- brane like the cells of the upper layer, but lie as a somewhat irregular network of cells between the upper layer and the bed of white yolk on which the blastoderm 1] THE BLASTODERM. rests. The lowest are generally the largest. The layer is thicker at the peri- phery than at the centre: and rests on a bed of white yolk, from which it is in parts separated by a more or less de- veloped cavity, containing probably fluid yolk matter about to be absorbed. In the bed of white yolk nuclei are present, which are destined to become the nuclei of cells about to join the lower layer of the blastoderm. These nuclei are gene- rally more numerous in the neighbour- hood of the thickened periphery of the blastoderm than elsewhere. Amongst the lower layer cells are to be found Fia. 3. SEction of A BLAsToDERM OF A Fowl’s Eae AT THE COMMENCEMENT OF INCUBATION. The thin but complete upper layer ep com- posed of columnar cells rests on the in- complete lower layer 7, composed of larger and more granular cells. The lower layer is thicker in some places than in others, and is especially thick at the periphery. The line below the under layer marks the upper surface of the white yolk. The larger so-called formative cells are seen at }, lying on the white yolk. The figure does not take in quite the whole breadth of the blastoderm ; but the reader must under- stand that both to the right hand and the left ep is continued farther than /, so that at the extreme edge it rests directly on the white yolk. 10 THE HEN’S EGG. [cHapP. peculiar large spherical bodies, which superficially re- semble the larger cells around them, and have been called formative cells. Their real nature is still very doubtful, and though some are no doubt true célls, others are perhaps only nutritive masses of yolk. The opacity of the peripheral part of the blastoderm is in a large measure due to the collection of the lower layer cells in this region, and the thickening, so caused, appears to be more pronounced for a small are which subsequently constitutes the hinder border of the area pellucida. Over nearly the whole of the blastoderm the upper layer rests on the under layer. At the circumference however the upper layer stretches for a short distance beyond the under layer, and here consequently rests directly on the white yolk. To recapitulate :—In the normal unincubated hen’s egg we recognize the blastoderm, consisting of a com- plete upper layer of smaller nucleated granular cells and a more or less incomplete under layer of larger cells, filled with larger granules; in these lower cells nuclei are rarely visible. The thin flat disc so formed rests, at the uppermost part of the entire yolk, on a bed of white yolk, and a peripheral thickening of the lower layer causes the appearance in the blastodermic disc of an area opaca and an area pellucida. The great mass of the entire yolk consists of the so-called yellow yolk composed of granular spheres. The white yolk is composed of smaller spheres of pecu- liar structure, and exists, in small part, as a thin coating around, and as thin concentric lamine in the substance of the yellow yolk, but chiefly in the 1] THE OVARIAN OVUM. ll form of a flask-shaped mass in the interior of the yolk, the upper somewhat expanded top of the neck of which forms the bed on which the blastoderm rests. The whole yolk is invested with the vitelline mem- brane, this again with the white; and the whole is covered with two shell-membranes and a shell. Such an egg has however undergone most important changes while still within the body of the hen; and in order to understand the nature of the structures which have just been described, it will be necessary to trace briefly the history of the egg from the stage when it exists as a so-called ovarian ovum in the ovary of a hen up to the time when it is laid. In birds the left ovary alone is found in the adult ; and is attached by the mesovariwm to the dorsal wall of the abdominal cavity, on the left side of the vertebral column. It consists of a mass of vascular stroma in which the ova are imbedded, is covered superficially by a layer of epithelium, continuous with the epithelial lining of the peritoneal cavity. The appearance of the ovary varies greatly according to the age of the indi- vidual. In the mature and sexually active females it is almost wholly formed of pedunculated and highly vascular capsules of various sizes, each containing a more or less developed ovum; in the young animal however it is much more compact, owing to the absence of advanced ova. If one of the largest capsules of the ovary of a hen which is laying regularly be opened, it will be found to contain a nearly spherical (or more correctly, ellipsoidal with but slightly unequal axes) yellow body enclosed in a delicate membrane. This is the ovarian ovum or egg. 12 THE HEN’sS EGG. [CHAP. Examined with care the ovum, which is tolerably uni- form in appearance, will be found to be marked at one spot (generally facing the stalk of the capsule and form- ing the pole of the shorter axis of the ovum) by a small dise differing in appearance from the rest of the ovum. This disc which is known as the germinal disc or discus Fic. 4. ee Ww, Y- my. SECTION THROUGH THE GERMINAL Disc OF THE RIPE OVARIAN Ovum oF a Fowl WHILE YET ENCLOSED IN ITS CAPSULE. a. Connective-tissue capsule of the ovum. 8. follicular epithe- lium, at the surface of which nearest the ovum lies the vitelline membrane. c¢. granular material of the germinal disc, which becomes converted into the blastoderm. (This is not very well represented in the woodcut. In sections which have been hardened in chromic acid it consists of fine granules.) w. y, white yolk, which passes insensibly into the fine granular material of the disc. «, germinal vesicle enclosed in a distinct membrane, but shrivelled up by the action of the chromic acid. y, space originally completely filled up by the germinal vesicle, before the latter was shrivelled up by the action of the chromic acid. proligerus, consists of a lenticular mass of protoplasm (Fig. 4, c), imbedded in which is a globular or ellipsoidal body (Fig. 4, 7), about 310% in diameter, called the germinal vesicle. This has a delicate wall, and its con- tents are clear and fluid in the fresh state, but become granular upon the addition of reagents. 1] THE OVARIAN OVUM. 13 The rest of the ovum is known as the yolk. This consists of two elements, the white yolk- and the yellow yolk-spheres, which are distributed respectively very much in the same way as in the laid egg, the yellow yolk forming the main mass of the ovum, and the white yolk being gathered underneath and around the disc (Fig. 4, w. y), and also forming a flask-shaped mass in the interior. The delicate membrane surrounding the whole is the vitelline membrane. The youngest ova in the ovary of a fowl, in common with those of all other animals, present the characters of a simple cell. Such a cell is diagrammatically repre- sented in Fig. 5. It is seen to consist of a naked protoplasmic body containing in its interior a nucleus—-the germinal vesi- cle—which in its turn envelopes Fie. 5. a nucleolus—constituting what is known as the germinal spot. Such young ova are enclosed in a capsule of epithelium, named the follicle or follicular mem- brane, and are irregularly scat- tered in the stroma of the ovary. DIAGRAM OF THE The difference between such Ovom. (From Gegen- an immature ovum and the ripe baur.) ovum just described is very great, ape came throughout its growth the plasm. 6. Nucleus (ger- : minal vesicle). ¢, Nu- Vum retains the characters of a cleolus (germinalspot). cell, so that the mature ova- rian ovum, equally with the youngest ovum in the ovary, is a single cell. The most striking changes which takes place in the 14 THE HEN’S EGG. [CHAP. course of the maturation of the ovum concern the body of the cell rather than the germinal vesicle. As the body grows in size a number of granules make their appearance in its interior. These granules are formed by the inherent activity of the protoplasm, which is itself nourished, in a large measure at any rate, by the cells of the follicle. The outermost layer of the proto- plasm remains free from these granules. As the ovum grows older the granules become larger, first of all in the centre, and subsequently at the periphery, and take the form of white yolk-spherules. The greater part of them become at a later stage converted into yellow yolk-spheres, while a portion of them, situated in the position of the white yolk of the ripe ovum, retain their original characters. The germinal vesicle, which in the youngest ova is situated centrally or subcentrally, travels in the course of the growth of the ovum towards the periphery, and the protoplasm immediately surrounding it remains relatively free from yolk granules, and so constitutes the germinal disc. In the younger ova there is but a single germinal spot in the germinal vesicle, but as the ova enlarge several accessory germinal spots make their appearance, while in the ripe ovum it seems doubtful whether there is any longer a trace of a germinal spot. The cells of the follicular epithelium are at first arranged in a single row, but at a later stage become two or more rows deep: they undergo however a nearly complete atrophy in the ripe ovum. Around the follicular epithelium there is present a membrana propria, and in the later stages of the growth of the L] THE OVARIAN OVUM. 15 ovum this is in its turn embraced by a highly vascular connective-tissue capsule. The youngest ova are, as has already been stated, quite naked. In ova of about 1°5 mm. the superficial layer of the ovum becomes converted into a radiately striated membrane called the zona radiata. At a later period a second membrane, placed between the zona radiata and the cells of the follicle, makes its appearance, but its mode of origin is still unknown. As the ovum approaches maturity the zona radiata disappears, and in the ripe ovum the second membrane, which has already been spoken of as the vitelline membrane, alone remains. From what has just been stated it follows that in an egg which has been laid the yolk alone constitutes the true ovum. The white and the shell are in fact accessory structures formed during the passage of the ovum down the oviduct. When the ovarian ovum is ripe and about to be discharged from the ovary, its capsule is clasped by the open infundibulum of the oviduct. The capsule then bursts, and the ovum escapes into the oviduct, its longer axis corresponding with the long axis of the oviduct, the germinal disc therefore being to one side. In describing the changes which take place in the oviduct, it will be convenient, following the order pre- viously adopted, to treat first of all of the formation of the accessory parts of the egg. These are secreted by the glandular walls of the oviduct. This organ therefore requires some description. It may be said to consist of four parts:—Ist. The dilated infundibulum 16 THE HEN’S EGG. [CHAP. with an abdominal opening. 2nd. A long tubular portion—the oviduct proper—opening by a narrow neck or isthmus into the 8rd portion, which is much dilated, and has been called the uterus; the 4th part is some- what narrow, and leads from the uterus into the cloaca. The whole of the mucous membrane lining the oviduct is largely ciliated. The accessory parts of the egg are entirely formed in the 2nd and 3rd portions. The layer of albumen which immediately surrounds the yolk is first de- posited; the chalazw are next formed. Their spiral character and the less distinctly marked spiral arrange- ment of the whole albumen is brought about by the motion of the egg along the spiral ridges into which the interior of the second or tubular portion of the oviduct is thrown. The spirals of the two chalaze are in different directions. This is probably produced by their peripheral ends remaining fixed while the yolk to which their central ends are attached is caused to rotate by the contractions of the oviduct. During the formation of the chalaze the rest of the albumen is also deposited ; and finally the shell-membrane is formed in the narrow neck of the 2nd portion, by the fibrilla- tion of the most external layer of albumen. The egg passes through the 2nd portion in little more than 3 hours. In the 3rd portion the shell is formed. The mucous membrane of this part is raised into nume- rous flattened folds, like large villi, containing follicu- lar glands. From these a thick white fluid is poured out, which soon forms a kind of covering to the egg, in which the inorganic particles are deposited. In this portion of the oviduct the egg remains from 12 to 18 L] IMPREGNATION. 17 hours, during which time the shell acquires its normal consistency. At the time of laying it is expelled from the uterus by violent muscular contractions, and passes with its narrow end downwards along the remainder of the oviduct, to reach the exterior. Impregnation. This process occurs in the upper portion of the oviduct; the spermatozoa being found actively moving in a fluid which is there contained. We have as yet, as far asthe fowl is concerned, no direct observations concerning the changes preceding and following upon impregnation ; nor indeed concern- ing the actual nature of the act of impregnation. In other types however these processes have been followed with considerable care, and the result has been to shew that prior to impregnation a division of the ovum takes place into two very unequal parts. The smaller of these parts is known as the polar body, and plays no further part in the development. In the course of the division of the ovum into these two parts the germinal vesicle also divides, and one part of it enters the polar body, while a portion remains in the larger segment which continues to be called the ovum, and is there known as the female pronucleus. Im- pregnation has been found to consist essentially in the entrance of a single spermatozoon into the ovum, followed by the fusion of the two. The spermatozoon itself is to be regarded as a cell, the head of which corresponds to the nucleus. When the spermatozoon enters the ovum the substance forming its tail becomes mingled with the protoplasm of the latter, but the head enlarges and constitutes a distinct body called the male pronucleus, which travels towards and finally fuses with F. & B. 2 18 THE HEN’S EGG. [CHAP. the female pronucleus to constitute the nucleus of the impregnated ovum. Segmentation. There follows upon the impregna- tion a remarkable process known as the segmentation. The process consists essentially in the division of the impregnated ovum by a series of successive segmenta- tions into a number of cells, of which the whole of the cells of the future animal are the direct descendants. In the majority of instances this process results in the division of the whole ovum into cells; but in cases of ova where there is a large amount of food yolk, only that part of the ovum in which the protoplasm is but slightly loaded with food material, and which we have already described as the germinal disc, becomes so divided. The remainder of the ovum constitutes a food reservoir for the use of the developing embryo and is known as the food yolk. The segmentation in such ova, of which that of the fowl is one of the best known examples, is described as being partial or meroblastic’, Tn order to understand the process of segmentation in the fowl’s ovum it must be borne in mind that the germinal disc is not sharply separated from the re- mainder of the ovum, but that the two graduate insen- sibly into each other. The segmentation commences in the lower part of the oviduct, shortly before the shell has begun to be formed. Viewed from above, a furrow is seen to make its 1 For a fuller account of the relation between holoblastic and meroblastic segmentation the reader is referred to the treatise on Comparative Embryology by Balfour, Vol. 1. chapter iii. 1] SEGMENTATION. 19 Fie. 6. Surface VIEWS OF THE EARLY STAGES OF THE SEGMENTATION In A Fowt’s Eaa. (A and C after Coste.) A represents the earliest stage. The first furrow (b) has begun to make its appearance in the centre of the germinal disc, whose periphery is marked by the line a. In B, the first furrow is completed nearly across the disc, and a second similar furrow at right angles to the first has appeared. The disc thus becomes divided somewhat irregularly into quadrants by four (half) furrows. In a later stage (C) the meridian furrows b have increased in number, from four, as in ZB, to nine, and cross furrows have also made their appearance. The disc is thus cut up into small central (c) and larger peripheral (d) segments. Several new cross furrows are seen just beginning, as ex. gr. close to the end of the line of reference d. appearance, runniny, across the germinal disc, though not for the whole breadth, and dividing it into two halves (Fig. 6, A). This primary furrow is succeeded by a second at right angles to itself. The surface thus becomes divided into four segments or quadrants (Fig. 6, B). 2-9 20 THE HEN’S EGG. [CHAP. The second furrow cuts the first somewhat excen- trically. The first four furrows do not extend through the whole thickness of the germinal disc, and the four seg- ments marked out by them are not separated from the disc on their lower aspect. Each of these is again bisected by radiating furrows, and thus the number of segments is increased from four to eight (it may be seven or nine). The central portion of each segment is then, by a cross furrow, cut off from the peripheral portion, giving rise to the appearance of a number of central smaller segments, surrounded by more external elongated segments (Fig. 6, C). The excentricity in the arrangement of the segments is moreover still preserved, the smaller segments being situated nearer one side of the germinal disc. The excentricity of the segmentation gives to the segmenting germinal disc a bilateral symmetry, but the relation between the axis of symmetry of the segmenting germinal disc and the long axis of the embryo is not known. Division of the segments now proceeds rapidly by means of furrows running in various directions. And it is important to note that the central segments divide more rapidly than the peripheral, and con- sequently become at once smaller and more numerous (Fig. 7). Meanwhile sections of the hardened blastoderm teach us that segmentation is not confined to the sur- face, but extends through the mass of the blastoderm; they shew us moreover that division takes place by means of not only vertical, but also horizontal furrows, 1.e. furrows parallel to the surface of the disc (Fig. 8). 1] SEGMENTATION. 21 Fia. 7, Surrace View oF THE GERMINAL Disc or a HeEn’s Eae DURING THE LATER STAGES OF SEGMENTATION. (Chromic Acid Preparation.) Atcin the centre of the disc the segmentation masses are very small and numerous. At 6, nearer the edge, they are larger and fewer; while those at the extreme margin a are largest and fewest of all. It will be noticed that the radiating furrows marking off the segments a do not reach to the extreme margin e of the disc. The drawing is completed in one quadrant only ; it will of course be understood that the whole circle ought to be filled up in a precisely similar manner. In this way, by repeated division or segmentation, the original germinal disc is cut up into a large number of small rounded masses of protoplasm, which are small- est in the centre, and increase in size towards the peri- phery. The segments lying uppermost are moreover smaller than those beneath, and thus the establishment of the two layers of the blastoderm is foreshadowed. a 22 THE HEN’S EGG. [CHAP. Fie. 8. SECTION OF THE GERMINAL Disc oF A FowL DURING THE LaTER STAGES OF SEGMENTATION. The section, which. represents rather more than half the breadth of the blastoderm (the middle line being shewn at c), shews that the upper and central parts of the disc segment faster than those below and towards the periphery. At the periphery the segments are still very large. One of the larger segments is shewn at a. In the majority of segments a nucleus can be seen; and it seems probable that a nucleus is present in all. Most of the segments are filled with highly refracting spherules, but these are more numerous in some cells (especially the larger cells near the yolk) than in others. In the central part of the blastoderm the upper cells have commenced to form a distinct layer. a, large peripheral cell. 0. larger cells of the lower parts of the blastoderm. c. middle line of blastoderm. e. edge of the blastoderm adjoining the white yolk. w. white yolk. In the later stages of segmentation not only do the first-formed segments become further divided, but seg mentation also extends into the remainder of the germi- nal disc. The behaviour of the nucleus during the segmenta- tion has not been satisfactorily followed, but there is, 1] SEGMENTATION. 23 from the analogy of other forms, no doubt that in the formation of the first two segments the original nucleus, formed by the fusion of the male and female pronuclei, becomes divided, and that a fresh division of the nucleus takes place with the formation of each fresh segment. Nuclei make their appearance moreover in the part of the ovum immediately below that in which the segmen- tation has already taken place; these are in all proba- bility also derived from the primitive nucleus. The substance round some of these nuclei rises up in the form of papille, which are subsequently constricted off and set free as supplementary segmentation masses ; while some of the nuclei remain and form the nuclei already spoken of as existing in the bed of white yolk below the blastoderm in the unincubated egg. Between the segmented germinal disc, which we may now call the blastoderm, and the bed of white yolk on which it rests, a space containing fluid makes its appearance. As development proceeds, segmentation reaches its limits in the centre, but continues at the periphery, and thus eventually the masses at the periphery become of the same size as those in the centre. The distinction however between an upper and a lower layer becomes more and more obvious. The masses of the upper layer arrange themselves, side by side, with their long axes vertical; their nuclei become very distinct. In fact they form a membrane of columnar nucleated cells. The masses of the lower layer, remaining larger than those of the upper layer, continue markedly granular and round, and form rather a close irregular network 24 THE HEN’S EGG. (CHAP. 1. than a distinct membrane. Their nuclei are not readily visible. At the time when the segmentation-spheres in the centre are smaller than those at the periphery, and those above are also smaller than those below, a few large spherical masses, probably containing each one of the nuclei already spoken of, arise by a process of seg- mentation from the bed of white yolk, and rest directly on the white yolk at the bottom of the shallow cavity below the mass of segmentation-spheres. They contain either numerous small spherules, or fine granules; the spherules precisely resembling the smaller spheres of white yolk. These loose spherical masses form the majority of the formative cells already spoken of. Thus the original germinal disc of the ovarian ovum becomes, by the process of segmentation, converted into the blastoderm of the laid egg with its upper layer of columnar nucleated cells, and its lower layer of irregu- larly disposed cells, accompanied by a few stray “forma- tive” cells lying loose in the cavity below. CHAPTER II. A BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE WHOLE HISTORY OF INCUBATION. STEP by step the simple two-layered blastoderm _ described in the previous chapter is converted into the complex organism of the chick. The details of the many changes through which this end is reached will perhaps be rendered more intelligible if we prefix to the special history of them a brief summary of the general course of events from the beginning to the end of incu- bation. In the first place, it is to be borne in mind that the embryo itself is formed in the area pellucida, and in the area pellucida alone. The area opaca in no part enters directly into the body of the chick; the structures to which it gives rise are to be regarded as appendages, which sooner or later disappear. Germinal layers. The blastoderm at starting con- sists of two layers. Very soon a third layer makes its appearance between the other two. These three layers, known as the germinal layers, the establishment of which is a fact of fundamental importance in the history of the embryo, are called respectively the upper, middle and lower layers, or epiblast, mesoblast and hypoblast. Of 26 PRELIMINARY ACCOUNT. [CHAP. these the epiblast and hypoblast constitute the primary layers. Three similar germinal layers are found in the embryos of all vertebrate and most invertebrate forms, and their history is one of the most important parts of comparative embryology. The epiblast gives rise to the epidermis, the central and peripheral parts of the nervous system, and to the most important parts of the organs of special sense. The hypoblast is essentially the secretory layer, and furnishes the whole epithelial lining of the alimentary tract and its glands, with the exception of part of the mouth and anus which are lined by the epiblast and are spoken of by embryologists as the stomodeuwm and proctodewm. Finally the mesoblast is a source from which the whole of the vascular system, the muscular and skeletal system, and the connective tissue of all parts of the body, are developed. It gives in fact origin to the connective-tissue basis both of the skin and of the mucous membrane of the alimentary tract, and to all the structures lying between these two with the exceptions already indicated. It is more especially to be noted that it gives rise to the excretory organs and generative glands. Formation of the embryo. The blastoderm which at first, as we have seen, lies like a watch-glass over the cavity below, its margin resting on the circular germinal wall of white yolk, spreads, as a thin circular sheet, over the yolk, immediately under the vitelline membrane. Increasing uniformly at all points of its circumference, the blastodermic expansion covers more and more of the _, yolk, and at last, reaching the opposite pole, completely envelopes it. Thus the whole yolk, instead of being 11] THE HEAD-FOLD. 27 enclosed as formerly by the vitelline membrane alone, comes to be also enclosed in a bag formed by the blasto- derm. It is not however until quite a late period that the complete closing in at the opposite pole takes place; in fact the extension of the blastoderm must be thought of as going on during the first seven days of incubation. Both the area opaca and the area pellucida share in this enlargement, but the area opaca increases much more rapidly than the area pellucida, and plays the principal part in encompassing the yolk. The mesoblast, in that part of the area opaca which is nearest to the area pellucida, becomes the seat of peculiar changes, which result in the formation of blood- vessels. Hence this part of the area opaca is called the vascular area. The embryo itself may be said to be formed by a folding off the central portion of the area pellucida from the rest of the blastoderm. At first the area pellucida is quite flat, or, inasmuch as it forms part of the circum- ference of the yolk, slightly but uniformly curved. Very soon, however, there appears at a certain spot a semi- lunar groove, at first small, but gradually increasing in depth and extent; this groove, which is represented in section in the diagram (Fig. 9, A), breaks the uni- formity of the level of the area pellucida. It may be spoken of as a tucking in of a small portion of the blastoderm in the form of a crescent. When viewed from above, it presents itseif as a curved line (the hinder of the two concentric curved lines in front of A in Fig. 22), which marks the hind margin of the groove, the depression itself being hidden. 28 PRELIMINARY ACCOUNT. [CHAP. Fia. 9. Fig. 9, A to WV forms a series of purely diagrammatic repre- sentations introduced to facilitate the comprehension of the manner in which the body of the embryo is formed, and of the various relations of the yolk-sac, amnion and allantois. In all vt is the vitelline membrane, placed, for convenience sake, at some distance from its contents, and represented as per- sisting in the later stages; in the actual egg it is in direct contact with the blastoderm (or yolk), and early ceases to have a separate existence. In all e indicates the embryo, pp the general pleuro- peritoneal space, af the folds of the amnion proper ; ae or ac the cavity holding the liquor amnii; al the allantois; a the ali- mentary canal; y or ys the yolk or yolk-sac. A, which may be considered as a vertical section taken longi- tudinally along the axis of the embryo, represents the relations of the parts of the egg at the time of the first appearance of the head-fold, seen on the right-hand side of the blastoderm e. The I1.] THE EMBRYONIC APPENDAGES. 29 blastoderm is spreading both behind (to the left hand in the figure), and in front (to right hand) of the head-fold, its limits being indicated by the shading and thickening for a certain dis- tance of the margin of the yolk y. As yet there is no fold on the left side of e corresponding to the head-fold on the right. B is vertical transverse section of the same period drawn for convenience sake on a larger scale (it should have been made flatter and less curved). It shews that the blastoderm (vertically shaded) is extending laterally as well as fore and aft, in fact in all directions ; but there are no lateral folds, and therefore no lateral limits to the body of the embryo as distinguished from the blastoderm. ; Incidentally it shews the formation of the medullary grcove by the rising up of the lamine dorsales. Beneath the section of the groove is seen the rudiment of the notochord. On either side a line indicates the cleavage of the mesoblast just commencing. In C, which represents a vertical longitudinal section of later date, both head-fold (on the right) and tail-fold (on the left) have advanced considerably. The alimentary canal is therefore closed in, both in front and behind, but is in the middle still widely open to the yolk y below. Though the axial parts of the embryo have become thickened by growth, the body-walls are still thin ; in them however is seen the cleavage of the mesoblast, and the divergence of the somatopleure and splanchnopleure. The splanchnopleure both at the head and at the tail is folded in to a greater extent than the somatopleure, and forms the still wide splanchnic stalk. At the end of the stalk, which is as yet short, it bends outwards again and spreads over the surface of the yolk. The somatopleure, folded in less than the splanchnopleure to form the wider somatic stalk, sooner bends round and runs out- wards again. At a little distance from both the head and the tail it is raised up into a fold, af, af, that in front of the head being the highest. These are the amniotic folds. Descending from either fold, it speedily joins the splanchnopleure again, and the two, once more united into an uncleft membrane, extend some way downwards over the yolk, the limit or outer margin of the Opaque area not being shewn. All the space between the soma- topleure and the splanchnopleure, pp, is shaded with dots. Close 30 PRELIMINARY ACCOUNT. [CHAP, to the body this space may be called the pleuroperitoneal cavity ; but outside the body it runs up into either amniotic fold, and also extends some little way over the yolk. D represents the tail end at about the same stage on a more enlarged scale, in order to illustrate the position of the allantois al (which was for the sake of simplicity omitted in C), shewnas a bud from the splanchnopleure, stretching downwards into the pleu- roperitoneal cavity pp. The dotted area representing as before the 11.] THE EMBRYONIC APPENDAGES. 31 whole space between the splanchnopleure and the somatopleure, it is evident that a way is open for the allantois to extend from its present position into the space between the two limbs of the amniotic fold af. &, also a longitudinal section, represents a stage still farther advanced. Both splanchnic and somatic stalks are much nar- rowed, especially the former, the cavity of the alimentary canal being now connected with the cavity of the yolk-sack by a mere canal. The folds of the amnion are spreading over the top of the embryo and nearly meet. Each fold consists of two walls or limbs, the space between which (dotted) is as before merely a part of the space between the somatopleure and splanchno- pleure. Between these arched amniotic folds and the body of the embryo is a space not as yet entirely closed in. ¥ represents on a different scale a transverse section of taken through the middle of the splanchnic stalk. The dark ring in the body of the embryo shews the position of the neural canal, below which is a black spot, marking the notochord. On either side of the notochord the divergence of somatopleure and splanch- nopleure is obvious. The splanchnopleure, more or less thick- ened, is somewhat bent in towards the middle line, but the two sides do not unite, the alimentary canal being as yet open below at this spot ; after converging somewhat they diverge again and run outwards over the yolk. The somatopleure, folded in to some extent to form the body-walls, soon bends outwards again, and is almost immediately raised up into the lateral folds of the amnion af. The continuity of the pleuroperitoneal cavity within the body with the interior of the amniotic fold outside the body is evident; both cavities are dotted. G, which corresponds to D at a later stage, is introduced to shew the manner in which the allantois, now a distinctly hollow body, whose cavity is continuous with that of the alimentary canal, becomes directed towards the amniotic fold. In # a longitudinal, and J a transverse section of later date, great changes have taken place. The several folds of the amnion have met and coalesced above the body of the embryo. The inner limbs of the several folds have united into a single membrane (a), which encloses a space (aé or ac) round the embryo. This mem- 32 PRELIMINARY ACCOUNT. [CHAP, brane (a) isthe amnion proper, and the cavity within it, z.c. between it and the embryo, is the cavity of the amnion containing the liquor amnii. The allantois is omitted for the sake of sim- plicity. It will be seen that the amnion @ now forms in every direc- tion the termination of the somatopleure ; the peripheral portions of the somatopleure, the united outer or descending limbs of the folds af in C, D, F, @ having been cut adrift, and now forming an independent continuous membrane, the serous membrane, immediately underneath the vitelline membrane. In J the splanchnopleure is seen converging to complete the closure of the alimentary canal a’ even at the stalk (elsewhere the canal has of course long been closed in), and then spreading outwards as before over the yolk. The point at which it unites with the somatopleure, marking the extreme limit of the cleavage of the mesoblast, is now much nearer the lower pole of the diminished yolk. 11.] THE EMBRYONIC APPENDAGES. 33 As a result of these several changes, a great increase in the dotted space has taken place. It is now possible to pass from the actual peritoneal cavity within the body, on the one hand round a great portion of the circumference of the yolk, and on the other hand above the amnion a, in the space between it and the serous envelope. Into this space the allantois is seen spreading in X at al. In Z the splanchnopleure has completely invested the yolk- sac, but at the lower pole of the yolk is still continuous with that peripheral remnant of the somatopleure now called the serous membrane. In other words, the cleavage of the mesoblast has been carried all round the yolk (ys) except just at the lower pole. In & the cleavage has been carried through the pole itself; the peripheral portion of the splanchnopleure forms a complete investment of the yolk, quite unconnected with the peripheral portion of the somatopleure, which now exists as a continuous membrane lining the interior of the shell. The yolk-sac (ys) is therefore quite loose in the pleuroperitoneal cavity, being con- nected only with the alimentary canal (a’) by a solid pedicle. Lastly, in V the yolk-sac (ys) is shewn being withdrawn into the cavity of the body of the embryo. The allantois isas before, for the sake of simplicity, omitted ; its pedicle would of course lie by the side of ys in the somatic stalk marked by the usual dotted shading. It may be repeated that the above are diagrams, the various spaces being shewn distended, whereas in many of them in the actual egg the walls have collapsed, and are in near juxta- position. In a vertical longitudinal section carried through the middle line, we may recognize the following parts (Fig. 9, A, or on a larger scale Fig. 10, which also shews details which need not be considered now). Beginning at what will become the posterior extremity of the embryo (the left-hand side of the figure in each case), and following the surface of the blastoderm forwards (to the right in the F. & B 3 34 PRELIMINARY ACCOUNT. [CHAP. Fie. 10. Diagrammatic LonNGITUDINAL SECTION THROUGH THE AXIS OF AN EMBRYO. The section is supposed to be made at a time when the head- fold has commenced but the tail-fold has not yet appeared. Ff. So. fold of the somatopleure. fF. Sp. fold of the splanchnopleure. The line of reference /”. So. is placed in the lower bay, outside. the embryo. The line of Dis placed in the upper bay inside the embryo; this will remain as the alimentary canal. Both folds (Ff. So., F. Sp.) are parts of the head-fold, and are to be thought of as continually travelling onwards (to the left) as de- velopment proceeds. pp. space between somatopleure and splanchnopleure: pleuro- peritoneal cavity. Am. commencing (head) fold of the amnion. A fuller explanation is given under Fig. 29. figures), the level is maintained for some distance, and then there is a sudden descent, the blastoderm bending round and pursuing a precisely opposite direction to its previous one, running backwards instead of forwards, for some distance. It soon, however, turns round again, and once more running forward, with a gentle ascent, regains the original level. As seen in section, then, the blasto- derm at this spot may be said to be folded up in the n1.] THE HEAD-FOLD. 35 form of the letter @. This fold we shall always speak of as the head-fold. In it we may recognize two limbs: an upper limb in which the curve is directed forwards, and its bay, opening backwards, is underneath the blas- toderm, 2.¢. as we shall see, inside the embryo (Fig. 10. D); and an under limb in which the curve is directed backwards, and its bay, opening forwards, is above the blastoderm,?.¢. outside the embryo. Ifan @ like the above, made of some elastic material, were stretched laterally, the effect would be to make both limbs longer and proportionally narrower, and their bays, instead of being shallow cups, would become more tubular. Such a result is in part arrived at by the growth of the blasto- derm; the upper limb of the @ is continually growing forward (but, unlike the stretched elastic model, in- creases in all its dimensions at the same time), and the lower limb is as continually lengthening backwards; and thus both upper and lower bays become longer and longer. This we shall hereafter speak of as the travel- ling backwards of the head-fold. The two bays do not however both become tubular. The section we have been speaking of is supposed to be taken vertically along a line; which will afterwards be- come the axis of the embryo; and the lower bay of the @ is a section of the crescentic groove mentioned above, in its middle or deepest part. On either side of the middle line the groove gradually becomes shallower. Hence in sections taken on either side of the middle line or axis of the embryo (above or below the plane of the figures), the groove would appear the less marked the farther the section from the middle line, and at a certain distance would disappear altogether. It must be 3—2 36 PRELIMINARY ACCOUNT. [CHAP. remembered that the groove is at first crescent-shaped, with the concavity of the crescent turned towards what will be the hind end of the embryo (Fig. 22). As the whole head-fold is carried farther and farther back, the horns of the crescent are more and more drawn in towards the middle line, the groove becoming first semicircular, then horse-shoe-shaped. In other words, the head-fold, instead of being a simple fold running straight back- wards, becomes a curved fold with a central portion in front running backwards, and two side portions running in towards the middle line. The effect of this is that the upper bay of the @ (that within the embryo) gets closed in at the sides as well as in the front, and thus speedily becomes tubular. The under bay of the 4 (that outside the embryo) remains of course open at the sides as in front, and forms a sort of horse-shoe-shaped ditch surrounding the front end of the embryo. We have dwelt thus at length on the formation of the head-fold, because, unless its characters are fairly grasped, much difficulty may be found in understanding many events in the history of the chick. The reader will perhaps find the matter easier to comprehend if he makes for himself a rough model, which he easily can do by spreading a cloth out flat to represent the blasto- derm, placing one hand underneath it, to mark the axis of the embryo; and then tucking in the cloth from above under the tips of his fingers. The fingers, coveted with the cloth and slightly projecting from the level of the rest of the cloth, will represent the head, in front of which will be the semicircular or horse-shoe-shaped groove of the head-fold. At its first appearance the whole @ may be spoken 11] THE TAIL-FOLD. 37 of as the head-fold, but later on it will be found con- venient to restrict the name chiefly to the lower limb of the 2. Some time after the appearance of the head-fold, an altogether similar but at first less conspicuous fold makes its appearance, at a point which will become the posterior end of the embryo. This fold, which travels forwards just as the head-fold travels backwards, is the tail-fold (Fig. 9, C). In addition, between the head- and the tail-fold two lateral folds appear, one on either side. These are simpler in character than either head-fold or tail-fold, inasmuch as they are nearly straight folds directed inwards towards the axis of the body (Fig. 8, F’), and not complicated by being crescentic in form. Otherwise they are exactly similar, and in fact are formed by the con- tinuations of the head- and tail-folds respectively. As these several folds become more and more de- veloped, the head-fold travelling backwards, the tail- fold forwards, and the lateral folds inwards, they tend to unite in the middle point; and thus give rise more and more distinctly to the appearance of a small tubular sac seated upon, and connected, by a continually-nar- rowing hollow stalk, with that larger sac which is formed by the extension of the rest of the blastoderm over the whole yolk. The smaller sac we may call the “embryonic sac,” the larger one “ the yolk-sac.” As incubation proceeds, the smaller sac (Fig. 9) gets larger and larger at the expense of the yolk-sac (the contents of the latter being gradually assimilated by nutritive processes into the tissues forming the growing walls of the former, not 38 PRELIMINARY ACCOUNT. [CHAP. directly transferred from one cavity into the other). Within a day or two, of the hatching of the chick, at a time when the yolk-sac is still of some considerable size, or at least has not yet dwindled away altogether, and the development of the embryonic sac is nearly com- plete, the yolk-sac (Fig. 9, N’) is slipped into the body of the embryo, so that ultimately the embryonic sac alone remains. The embryo, then, is formed by a folding-off of a portion of the blastoderm from the yolk-sac. The general outline of the embryo is due to the direction and shape of the several folds which share in its forma- tion; these, while preserving a nearly perfect bilateral symmetry, present marked differences at the two ends of the embryo. Hence from the very first there is no difficulty in distinguishing the end which will be the head from that which will be the tail. In addition to this, the tubular sac of the embryo, while everywhere gradually acquiring thicker and thicker walls, undergoes at various points, through local activities of growth in the form of thickenings, ridges, buds or other processes, many modifications of the outline conferred upon it by the constituent folds. Thus bud-like processes start out from the trunk to form the rudiments of the limbs, and similar thickenings and ridges give rise to the jaws and other parts of the face. By the unequal development of these outgrowths the body of the chick is gradually moulded into its proper outward shape. Were the changes which take place of this class only, the result would be a tubular sac of somewhat com- plicated outline, but still a simple tubular sac. Such I1.] THE MEDULLARY CANAL. 39 a simple sac might perhaps be roughly taken to repre- sent the body of many an invertebrate animal ; but the typical structure of a bird or other vertebrate animal is widely different. It may very briefly be described as follows. First there is, above, a canal running lengthways along the body, in which are lodged the brain and spinal cord. Below this neural tube is an axis repre- sented by the bodies of the vertebre and their con- tinuation forwards in the structures which form the base of the skull. Underneath’ this, again, is another tube closed in above by the axis, and on the sides and below by the body-walls. Enclosed in this second tube, and suspended from the axis, is a third tube, consisting of the alimentary canal with its appendages (liver, pan- creas, lungs, &c., which are fundamentally mere diver- ticula from one simple canal). The cavity of the outer tube, which also contains the heart and other parts of the vascular system, is the general body cavity; it con- sists of a thoracic or pleural, and an abdominal or peri- toneal section; these two parts are, however, from their mode of origin, portions of one and the same tube. Thus a transverse section of a vertebrate animal always shews the same fundamental structure: above a single tube, below a double tube, the latter consisting of one tube enclosed within another, the inner being the ali- mentary canal, the outer the general cavity of the body. Into such a triple tube the simple tubular embryonic sac of the chick is converted by a series of changes of a remarkable character. The upper or neural tube is formed in the following way. At a very early period the upper layer of the 40 PRELIMINARY ACCOUNT. [cHar. blastoderm or epiblast in the region which will become the embryo, is raised up into two ridges or folds, which run parallel to each other at a short distance on either side of what will be the long axis of the embryo, and thus leave between them a shallow longitudinal groove (Fig. 9, B, also Figs. 21, mc). As these ridges, which bear the name of medullary folds, increase in height they arch over towards each other, and eventually meet and coalesce in the middle line, thus converting the groove into a canal, which at the same time becomes closed at either end (Fig. 8, & J, also Fig. 34. Mc.). The cavity so formed is the cavity of the neural tube, and eventually becomes the cerebro-spinal canal. Its walls are wholly formed of epiblast. The lower double tube, that of the alimentary canal, and of the general cavity of the body, is formed in an entirely different way. It is, broadly speaking, the result of the junction and coalescence of the funda- mental embryonic folds, the head-fold, tail-fold, and lateral folds; in a certain sense the cavity of the body is the cavity of the tubular sac described in the last paragraph. But it is obvious that a tubular sac formed by the folding-in of a single sheet of tissue, such as we have hitherto considered the blastoderm to be, must be a simple tubular sac possessing a single cavity only. The blastoderm however does not long remain a single sheet, but speedily becomes a double sheet of such a kind that, when folded in, it gives rise to a double tube. Very early the blastoderm becomes thickened in the region of the embryo, the thickening being chiefly due 1] THE BODY CAVITY. 41 to an increase in the middle layer or mesoblast, while at the same time it becomes split or cleft horizontally over the greater part of its extent into two leaves, an upper leaf and a lower leaf. In the neighbourhood of the axis of the body, beneath the neural tube, this cleavage is absent (Fig. 9, B; also Figs. 24, 34), in fact, it begins at some little distance on either side of the axis and spreads thence into the periphery in all direc- tions. It is along the mesoblast that the cleavage takes place, the upper part of the mesoblast uniting with epiblast to form the upper leaf, and the lower part with the hypoblast to form the lower leaf. In the fundamental folds both leaves are involved, both leaves are folded downwards and inwards, both leaves tend to meet in the middle below; but the lower leaf is folded in more rapidly, and thus diverges from the upper leaf, a space being gradually developed between them (Fig. 9). In course of time the several folds of the lower leaf meet and unite to form an inner tube quite independently of the upper leaf, whose own folds in turn meet and unite to form an outer tube separated from the inner one by an intervening space. The inner tube which from its mode of formation is clearly lined by hypoblast is the alimentary canal which is subsequently perforated at both ends to form the mouth and anus; the walls of the outer tube are the walls of the body; and the space between the two tubes is the general body or pleuroperitoneal cavity. Hence the upper (or outer) leaf of the blastoderm, from its giving rise to the body-walls, is called the somatopleure*; the lower (or inner) leaf, from its form- 1 Soma, body, pleuron, side. 42 PRELIMINARY ACCOUNT. [CHAP. ing the alimentary canal and its tributary viscera, the splanchnopleure *. This horizontal splitting of the blastoderm into a somatopleure and a splanchnopleure, which we shall hereafter speak of as the cleavage of the mesoblast, is not confined to the region of the embryo, but gradually extends over the whole of the yolk-sac. Hence in the later days of incubation the yolk-sac comes to have two distinct coats, an inner splanchnopleuric and an outer somatopleuric, separable from each other all over the sac. We have seen that, owing to the manner of its formation, the ‘embryonic sac’ is con- nected with the ‘yolk-sac’ by a continually narrowing hollow stalk; but this stalk must, like the embryonic sac itself, be a double stalk, and consist of a smaller inner stalk within a larger outer one, Fig. 9, £, H. The folds of the splanchnopleure, as they tend to meet and unite in the middle line below, give rise to a continually narrowing hollow stalk of their own, a splanchnic stalk, by means of which the walls of the alimentary canal are continuous with the splanch- nopleuric investment of the yolk-sac, and the interior of that canal is continuous with the cavity inside the yolk-sac. In the same way the folds of the somato- pleure form a similar stalk of their own, a somatic stalk, by means of which the body-walls of the chick are continuous (for some time; the continuity, as we shall see, being eventually broken by the development of the amnion) with the somatopleuric investment of the yolk-sac; and the pleuroperitoneal cavity of the 1 Splanchnon, viscus, pleuron, side. II.] THE AMNION. 43 body of the chick is continuous with the narrow space between the two investments of the yolk-sac. At a comparatively early period the canal of the splanchnic stalk becomes obliterated, so that the material of the yolk can no longer pass directly into the alimentary cavity, but has to find its way into the body of the chick by absorption through the blood- vessels. The somatic stalk, on the other hand, remains widely open for a much longer time; but the somatic shell of the yolk-sac never undergoes that thickening which takes place in the somatic walls of the embryo itself; on the contrary, it remains thin and insignificant. When, accordingly, in the last days of incubation the greatly diminished yolk-sac with its splanchnic invest- ment is withdrawn into the rapidly enlarging abdominal cavity of the embryo, the walls of the abdomen close in and unite, without any regard to the shrivelled, emptied somatopleuric investment of the yolk-sac, which is cast off as no longer of any use. (Fig. 9. Com- pare the series.) The Amnion. Very closely connected with the cleavage of the mesoblast and the division into soma- topleure and splanchnopleure, is the formation of the amnion, all mention of which was, for the sake of simplicity, purposely omitted in the description just given. The amnion is a peculiar membrane enveloping the embryo, which takes its origin from certain folds of the somatopleure, and of the somatopleure only, in the following way. At a time when the cleavage of the mesoblast has somewhat advanced, there appears, a little way in front 44 PRELIMINARY ACCOUNT. [CHAP. of the semilunar head-fold, a second fold (Fig. 22, also Fig. 9, C.), running more or less parallel or rather con- centric with the first, and not unlike it in general appearance, though differing widely from it in nature. In the head-fold the whole thickness of the blastoderm is involved; in it both somatopleure and splanchno- pleure (where they exist, i.e. where the mesoblast is cleft) take part. This second fold, on the contrary, is limited entirely to the somatopleure. Compare Figs. 9 and 10. In front of the head-fold, and therefore alto- gether in front of the body of the embryo, the somato- pleure is a very thin membrane, consisting only of epiblast and a very thin layer of mesoblast; and the fold we are speaking of is, in consequence, itself thin and delicate. Rising up as a semilunar fold with its concavity directed towards the embryo (Fig. 9, C, af), as it increases in height it is gradually drawn back- wards over the developing head of the embryo. The fold thus covering the head is in due time accompanied by similar folds of the somatopleure starting at some little distance behind the tail, and at some little dis- tance from the sides (Fig. 9, C, D, , F, and Fig. 11 am.). In this way the embryo becomes surrounded by a series of folds of thin somatopleure, which form a con- tinuous wall all round it. All are drawn gradually over the body of the embryo, and at last meet and completely coalesce (Fig. 9, H, J), all traces of their junction being removed. Beneath these united folds there is therefore a cavity, within which the embryo lies (Fig. 9, H, ae). This cavity is the cavity of the amnion. The folds which we have been describing are those which form the amnion. ° 11] THE AMNION. 45 Fig. 11. DIAGRAMMATIC LONGITUDINAL SECTION THROUGH THE POS- TERIOR END OF AN EMBRYO Birp, AT THE TIME OF THE FORMATION OF THE ALLANTOIS. ep. epiblast ; Sp.c. spinal canal; ch. notochord ; n.¢. neurenteric canal; hy. hypoblast ; p.a.g. postanal gut; pr. remains of primitive streak folded in on the ventral side; ai. allantois ; me. mesoblast; an. point where anus will be formed ; p.c. perivisceral cavity; am. amnion; so. somatopleure; sp. splanchnopleure. Each fold, of course, necessarily consists of two limbs, both limbs consisting of epiblast and a very thin layer of mesoblast; but in one limb the epibiast looks towards the embryo, while in the other it looks away from it. The space between the two limbs of the fold, as can easily be seen in Figs. 9 and 11, is really part of the space between the somatopleure and splanch- nopleure ; it is therefore continuous with the general space, part of which afterwards becomes the pleuro- peritoneal cavity of the body, shaded with dots in figure 9 and marked (pp). It is thus possible to pass from the cavity between the two limbs of each 46 PRELIMINARY ACCOUNT. [ CHAP. fold of the amnion into the cavity which surrounds the alimentary canal. When the several folds meet and coalesce together above the embryo, they unite in such a way that all their inner limbs go to form a continuous inner membrane or sac, and all their outer limbs a similarly continuous outer membrane or sac. The inner membrane thus built up forms a completely closed sac round the body of the embryo, and is called the amniotic sac, or amnion proper (Fig. 9, H, I, &c. a.), and the fluid which it afterwards contains is called the amniotic fluid, or iquor amni. The space between the inner and outer sac, being formed by the united cavities of the several folds, is, from the mode of its formation, simply a part of the general cavity found everywhere between somatopleure and splanchnopleure. The outer sac over the embryo lies close under the vitellme membrane, while its periphery is gradually extended over the yolk as the somatopleuric invest- ment of the yolk-sac described in the preceding para- graph. It constitutes the false amnion while the mem- brane of which it forms a part is frequently known as the serous membrane. The Allantois. If the mode of origin of these two sacs (the inner or true amnion, and the outer or false amnion, as Baer called it) and their relations to the embryo be borne in mind, the reader will have no diffi- culty in understanding the course taken in its growth by an important organ, the allantois, of which we shall hereafter have to speak more in detail. The allantois is essentially a diverticulum of the alimentary tract, into which it opens immediately in front of the anus. It at first (Fig. 11, al) forms a IL] THE ALLANTOIS. 47 flattened sac projecting into the pleuroperitoneal cavity, the walls of the sac being formed of a layer of splanchnic mesoblast lined by hypoblast. It grows forwards in the peritoneal cavity until it reaches the stalk connecting the embryo with the yolk- sac, and thence very rapidly pushes its way into the space between the true and false amniotic sacs (Fig. 9, G, K). Curving over the embryo, it comes to lie above the embryo and the amnion proper, separated from the shell (and vitelline membrane) by nothing more than the thin false amnion. In this position it becomes highly vascular, and performs the functions of a respi- ratory organ. It is evident that though now placed quite outside the embryo, the space in which it lies is a continuation of that peritoneal cavity in which it took its origin. It is only necessary to add, that the serous mem- brane, including the false amnion, either coalesces with the vitelline membrane, in contact with which it lies, or else replaces it; and in the later days of incubation was called by the older embryologists the chorion—a name however which we shall not adopt. CHAPTER III. THE CHANGES WHICH TAKE PLACE DURING THE FIRST DAY OF INCUBATION. Durine the descent of the egg along the oviduct, where it is exposed to a temperature of about 40° C., the gerthinal disc, as we have seen, undergoes important changes. When the egg is laid and becomes cold these changes all but entirely cease, and the blastoderm remains inactive until, under the influence of the higher temperature of natural or artificial incubation, the vital activities of the germ are brought back into play, the arrested changes go on again, and usher in the series of events which we have now to describe in detail. The condition of the blastoderm at the time when the egg is laid is not exactly the same im all eggs; in some the changes being farther advanced than in others, though the differences of course are slight. In some eggs, especially in warm weather, changes of the same kind as those caused by actual incubation may take place, to a certain extent, in the interval between laying and incubation ;. lastly, in all eggs, both under natural and especially under artificial incubation, the CHAP. III.] THE EMBRYONIC SHIELD. 49 dates of the several changes are, within the limits of some hours, very uncertain, particularly in the first few days; one egg being found, for example, at 36 hours in the same stage as another at 24 or 30 hours, or a third at 40 or 48 hours. When we speak therefore of any event as taking place at any given hour or part of any given day, we are to be understood as meaning that such an event will generally be found to have taken place at about that time. We introduce exact dates for the convenience of description. The changes which take place during the first day will be most easily considered under several periods. From the 1st to about the 8th hour.—During this period the blastoderm, when viewed from above, is found to have increased in size. The pellucid area, which at the best is but obscurely marked in the unin- cubated egg, becomes very distinct (the central opacity having disappeared), and contrasts strongly with the opaque area, which has even still more increased both in distinctness and size. For the first few hours both the pellucid and opaque areas remain approximately circular, and the most im- portant change, besides increase in size and greater distinctness which can be observed in them, is a slight ill-defined opacity or loss of transparency, which makes its appearance in the hinder half of the pellucid area. This is known as the embryonic shield. Slight as are the changes which can at this stage be seen from surface views, sections taken from hardened specimens bring to light many most important changes in the nature and arrangement of the constituent cells, F.& B 4 50 THE FIRST DAY. [CHAP, Fie. 12. Section or A BLASTODERM OF A Fow1’s Ece@ AT THE COMMENCEMENT OF INCUBATION. The thin but complete upper layer ep composed of columnar cells rests on the in- complete lower layer 7, composed of larger and more granular cells. The lower layer is thicker in some places than in others, and is especially thick at the periphery. The line below the under layer marks the upper sur- face of the white yolk. The larger so-called formative cells are seen at 0, lying on the white yolk. The figure does not take in quite the whole breadth of the blastoderm; but the reader must understand that both to the right hand and the left ep is continued farther than 1, so that at the extreme edge it rests directly on the white yolk. It will be remembered that the blastoderm in the unincubated egg is composed of two layers, an upper (Fig. 12, ep) and an under layer; that the upper is a coherent membrane of colum- nar nucleated cells, but that the lower one (Fig. 12, 7) is formed of an irregular network of larger cells in which the nuclei are with difficulty visible; and that in addition to this there are certain still larger cells, called ‘formative cells’ (Fig. 12,5), lying at the bottom of the segmentation-cavity. Under the influence of incubation changes take place very rapidly, which II1.] THE HYPOBLAST. 51 result in the formation of the three layers of the blasto- derm. The upper layer, which is the epiblast already spoken of (Fig. 13), takes at first but little share in these changes. In the lower layer, however, certain of the cells begin to get flattened horizontally, their granules become less numerous, and the nucleus becomes distinct; the cells so altered cohere together and form a membrane. The membrane thus formed, which is first completed in Fie, 13. TRANSVERSE SECTION THROUGH THE BLASTODERM OF A CHICK BEFORE THE APPEARANCE OF THE PRIMITIVE STREAK. The epiblast is represented somewhat diagrammatically. The hyphens shew the points of junction of the two halves of the section. The hypoblast is already constituted as a membrane of flattened cells, and a number of scattered cells are seen between it and the epiblast. the centre of the pellucid area, constitutes the hypoblast. Between the hypoblastic membrane and the epiblast there remain a number of scattered cells (Fig. 13) which cannot however be said tu form a definite layer altogether distinct from the hypoblast. They are almost entirely confined to the posterior part of the area pellucida, and 4—2 52 THE FIRST DAY. [CHAP. give rise to the opacity of that part, which we have spoken of as the embryonic shield. At the edge of the area pellucida the hypoblast becomes continuous with a thickened rim of material, underlying the epiblast, and derived from the original thickened edge of the blastoderm and the subjacent yolk. It is mainly formed of yolk granules, with a varying number of cells and nuclei imbedded in it. It is known as the germinal wall, and is spoken of more in detail on pp. 65 and 66. The epiblast is the Hornbdlatt (corneal layer), and the hypo- blast the Darmdriisenblatt (epithelial glandular layer) of the Germans, while those parts of the mesoblast which take part in the formation of the somatopleure and splanchnopleure cor- respond respectively to the Haut-muskel-platte and Darm-faser- platte. All blood-vessels arise in the mesoblast. Hence the vascular layer of the older writers falls entirely within the mesoblast. The serous layer of the old authors includes the whole of the epiblast, but also comprises a certain portion of mesoblast ; for they speak of all the organs of animal life (skin, bones, muscle, &c.) as being formed out of the serous layer, whereas the epiblast proper gives rise only to the epidermis and to certain parts of the nervous system. In the same way their mucous layer corresponds to the hypoblast with so much of the mesoblast as takes part in the formation of the organs of organic life. Their vascular layer therefore answers to a part only of the mesoblast viz. that part in which blood-vessels are especially developed. From the 8th to the 12th hour. The changes which next take place result in the complete differen- tiation of the embryonic layers, a process which is inti- mately connected with the formation of a structure known as the primitive streak. The full meaning of the 111. ] THE PRIMITIVE STREAK. 53 latter structure, and its relation to the embryo, can how- ever only be understood by comparison with the develop- ment of the lower forms of vertebrate life. It will be remembered that in surface views of the unincubated blastoderm a small arc, at what we stated to be the posterior end, close to the junction between the area opaca and the area pellucida is distinguished by its more opaque appearance. In the surface view the primitive streak appears as a linear opacity, which gradually grows forwards from the middle of this arc till it reaches about one-third of the diameter of the Fie, 14. Prs ‘AREA PELLUCIDA OF A VERY YOUNG BLASTODERM oF A CHICK, SHEWING THE PRIMITIVE STREAK SHORTLY AFTER ITS FIRST APPEARANCE. pr.s. primitive streak ; ap. area pellucida; a.op. area opaca. area pellucida. During the formation of the primitive streak the embryonic shield grows fainter and finally vanishes. When definitely established the primitive streak has the appearance diagrammatically represented in Fig. 14. 54 THE FIRST DAY. [CHAP. Sections at this stage throw a very important light on the nature and mode of origin of the primitive streak. In the region in front of it the blastoderm is still formed of two layers only, but in the region of the streak itself the structure of the blastoderm is greatly altered. The most important features in it are repre- sented in Fig. 15. This figure shews that the median Ere, 15, TRANSVERSE SECTION THROUGH A BLASTODERM OF ABOUT THE AGE REPRESENTED IN Fic. 14, SHEWING THE First Dir- FERENTIATION OF THE PRIMITIVE STREAK. The section passes through about the middle of the primitive streak. pvs. primitive streak ; ep. epiblast; hy. hypoblast ; ys. yolk of the germinal wall. portion of the blastoderm has become very much thick- ened (thus producing the opacity of the primitive streak), and that this thickening is caused by a proliferation of rounded cells from the epiblast. In the very young primitive streak, of which Fig. 15 is a section, the rounded cells are still continuous throughout with the epiblast, but they form nevertheless the rudiment of the greater part of a sheet of mesoblast, which will soon arise in this region. III. ] THE PRIMITIVE STREAK. 55 In addition to the cells clearly derived from the epiblast, there are certain otber cells (Fig. 15), closely adjoining the hypoblast; these are derivatives of the cells, interposed between the epiblast and hypoblast, which gave rise to the appearance of the embryonic shield during the previous stage. In our opinion these cells also have a share in forming the future meso- blast. It thus appears that the primitive streak is essen- tially a linear proliferation of epiblast cells; the cells produced being destined to give rise to the mesoblast. This proliferation first commences at the hinder end of the area pellucida, and thence proceeds forwards. While the primitive streak is being established, the epiblast becomes two or more rows-of cells deep in the region of the area pellucida. Soon after this, the hitherto circular pellucid area becomes oval (the opaque area remaining circular), The oval is, with remarkable regularity, so placed that its long axis forms a right angle, or very nearly a right angle, with the long axis of the egg itself. Its narrow end corresponds with the future hind end of the embryo. If an egg be placed with its broad end to the right hand of the observer, the head of the embryo will in nearly all cases be found pointing away from him. The 12th to the 16th hour. The primitive streak at its first appearance is shadowy and ill-defined; gradu- ally however it becomes more distinct; and during the same period the pellucid area rapidly increases in size, and from being oval becomes pear-shaped (Fig. 16). The primitive streak grows even more rapidly than the pellucid area; so that by the 16th hour it is not only 56 THE FIRST DAY. [CHAP. absolutely, but also relatively to the pellucid area, longer than it was at the 12th hour. It finally occupies about two-thirds of the length of the area pellucida; but its hinder end in many instances appears to stop short of the posterior border of the area pellucida (Fig. 16). The median line of the Fie. 16. Sorrace View oF THE AREA PELLUCIDA OF A CHICK’s BLASTODERM SHORTLY AFTER THE FORMATION OF THE Primitive GRoovE. pr. primitive streak with primitive groove ; af. amuiotic fold. The darker shading round the primitive streak shews the extension of the mesoblast. primitive streak becomes marked by a shallow furrow running along its axis. In fresh specimens, viewed with transmitted light, this furrow appears as a linear trans- parency, but in hardened specimens seen under reflected light may be distinctly recognized as a narrow groove, 111, ] THE PRIMITIVE GROOVE. 57 the bottom of which, being thinner than the sides, appears more transparent when viewed with transmitted light. It is known as the primitive groove. Its depth and the extent of its development are subject to great variations. During these changes in external appearance there grow from the edges of the cord of cells constituting the primitive streak two lateral wings of mesoblast cells, which gradually extend till they reach the sides of the area pellucida (Fig. 17). The two wings of mesoblast meet along the line of the primitive streak, where they still remain attached to the epiblast. During this period many sections through the primitive streak give an impression of the mesoblast being involuted along the lips of a groove. The hypoblast below the primitive streak is always quite independent of the mesoblast above, though much more closely attached to it in the median line than at the sides. The part of the mesoblast, which we believe to be derived from the primitive lower layer cells, can generally be distinctly traced. In many cases, especially at the front end of the primitive streak, it forms, as in Fig. 17, a distinct layer of stellate cells, quite unlike the rounded cells of the mesoblastic involution of the primitive streak. In the region in front of the primitive streak, where the first trace of the embryo will shortly appear, the layers at first undergo no important changes, except that the hypoblast becomes somewhat thicker. Soon, however, as shewn in longitudinal section in Fig. 18, the hypoblast along the axial line becomes continuous be- hind with the front end of the primitive streak. Thus at this point, which is the future hind end of the THE FIRST DAY. [cHaAP. 58 Fig. 18. Fig. 17 Oe OLN GR xe 6 EERE AN if 0) XG Jiro OG C 3 Ce wt 11. } FORMATION OF THE EMBRYO. 59 Fig. 17, TRANSVERSE SECTION THROUGH THE Front END oF THE PRE MITIVE STREAK OF A BLASTODERM OF THE SAME AGE AS Fie. 16. pv. primitive groove; m. mesoblast; ep. epiblast; dy. hypo- blast ; yA. yolk of germinal wall. Fig. 18. LoneitupInaL SECTION THROUGH THE AXIAL LINE OF THE PRIMITIVE STREAK, AND THE Part oF THE BLASTODERM IN FRONT OF IT, OF THE BLASTODERM OF A CHICK SOME- WHAT YOUNGER THAN Fig. 19. pr.s. primitive streak; ep. epiblast; hy. hypoblast of region in front of primitive streak; n. nuclei; yé. yolk of germinal wall. embryo, the mesoblast, the epiblast, and the hypoblast all unite together. From the 16th to the 20th hours. At about the 16th hour, in blastoderms of the stage represented in Fig.16,animportantchange takes place in the constitution of the primitive hypoblast in front of the primitive streak. The rounded cells, of which it is at first composed (Fig. 18), break up into (1) a layer formed of a single row of more or less flattened elements below—the hypoblast proper—and (2) into a layer formed of several rows of stellate elements, between the hypoblast and the epiblast —the mesoblast (Fig. 19 m). A separation between these two layers is at first hardly apparent, and before it has become at all well marked, especially in the median line, an axial opaque line makes its appearance in surface views, continued forwards from the front end of the primitive streak, but stopping short at a semicircular 60 THE FIRST DAY. [cHAP. Fie. 19. TRANSVERSE SECTION THROUGH THE EMBRYONIC REGION OF THE BLASTODERM OF A CHICK SHORTLY PRIOR TO THE ForMaTION oF THE MEDULLARY GROOVE AND Noro- CHORD. m. median line of the section ; ep. epiblast ; 7.2. lower layer cells (primitive hypoblast) not yet completely differentiated into mesoblast and hypoblast ; n. nuclei. fold—the future head-fold—near the front end of the area pellucida. In section (Fig. 20) this opaque line is seen to be due to a special concentration of cells in the form of a cord. This cord is the commencement of an extremely important structure found in all vertebrate embryos, which is known as the notochord (ch). In most instances the commencing notochord remains attached to the hypoblast, after the mesoblast has at the sides become quite detached (vide Fig. 20), but in other cases the notochord appears to become differentiated in the already separated layer of mesoblast. In all cases the ‘notochord and the hypoblast below it unite with the front end of the primitive streak; with which also the two lateral plates of mesoblast become continuous. From what has just been said it is clear that in the region of the embryo the mesoblast originates as two lateral plates split off from the primitive hypoblast, and 111. | THE NOTOCHORD. 61 Fie. 20, LOGO D (KORY i ORO p AON ; 7 Oe . ee Z 12 BSaOas USB! > 5 se FITTS PIO G Garon a Sa TRANSVERSE SECTION THROUGH THE Empryonic REGION OF THE BLASTODERM OF A CHICK AT THE TIME OF THE FORMATION oF THE NoTOCHORD, BUT BEFORE THE APPEARANCE OF THE MEDULLARY GROOVE. ep. epiblast; Ay. hypoblast; ch. notochord; me. mesoblast ; yk. yolk of germinal wall. Fic. 21. mf \ A \ me B NK Cc o& = eee TOCOOOE OGIO 7 3 2 5290899699, | OOOOOLO 2OODOG COD, QLOGI GD “Ys of $55 G8%o 680000000 CS 9 BSOORE BESO 5 20¢ { B 8 Oo ease pS DIOS So ee eR ES Oe TRANSVERSE SECTION OF A BLASTODERM INCUBATED FOR 18 HOURS. The section passes through the medullary groove me., at some distance behind its front end. A. Epiblast. B. Mesoblast. C. Hypoblast. m.c. medullary groove ; mf. medullary fold; ch. notochord. 62 THE FIRST DAY. [CHAP. that the notochord originates simultaneously with the mesoblast, with which it is at first continuous, as a median plate similarly of hypoblastic origin. Kélliker! holds that the mesoblast of the region of the em- bryo is derived from a forward growth from the primitive streak. There is no theoretical objection to this view, and we think it would be impossible to shew for certain by sections whether or no there is a growth such as he describes ; but such sections as that represented in Fig. 19 (and we have series of such sections from several embryos) appear to us to be conclusive in favour of the view that the mesoblast of the region of the embryo is to a large , extent derived from a differentiation of the primitive hypoblast. The mesoblast of the primitive streak forms in part the vascular structures found in the area pellucida, and probably also in part ‘the mesoblast of the allantois. The differentiation of the embryo may be said to commence with the formation of the notochord and the lateral plates of mesoblast. Very shortly after the for- mation of these parts, the axial part of the epiblast above the notochord and in front of the primitive streak, being here somewhat thicker than in the lateral parts, becomes differentiated into a distinct medullary plate, the sides of which form two folds known as the medullary folds, enclosing between them a groove known as the medullary groove. The medullary plate itself consti- tutes that portion of the epiblast which gives rise to the central nervous system. Between the 18th to the 20th hour the medullary groove, with its medullary folds or laminz dorsales, is fully established. It then presents the appearance, to- wards the hinder extremity of the embryo, of a shallow } Entwick. d. Menschen u. héheren Thiere, Leipzig, 1879. III] THE NOTOCHORD. 63 groove with sloping diverging walls, which embrace be- tween them the front end of the primitive streak. Passing forwards towards what will become the head of the embryo the groove becomes narrower and deeper with steeper walls. On reaching the head-fold (Fig. 22), which continually becomes more and more prominent, the medullary folds curve round and meet each other in the middle line, so as to form a somewhat rounded end to the groove. In front therefore the canal does not become lost by the gradual flattening and divergence of its walls, as is the case behind, but has a definite termi- nation, the limit being marked by the head-fold. In front of the head-fold, quite out of the region of the medullary folds, there is usually another small fold formed earlier than the head-fold, which is the begin- ning of the amnion (Fig. 22). The appearance of the embryo and its relation to the surrounding parts are somewhat diagrammatically represented in Fig. 22. The primitive streak now ends with an anterior swelling (not represented in the figure), and is usually somewhat unsymmetrical. In most cases its axis is more nearly continuous with the left, or rarely the right, medullary fold than with the medullary groove. In sections its front end appears as a ridge on one side or rarely in the middle of the floor of the wide medullary groove. The general structure of the developing embryo at the present stage is best understood from such a section as that represented in Fig. 21. The medullary groove (m. c.) lined by thickened epiblast is seen in the median line of the section. Below it is placed the notochord (ch), which at this stage is a mere rod of cells, and on each 64 THE FIRST DAY. [CHAP. Surrace VIEW OF THE PELLUCcID AREA OF A BLASTODERM OF 18 HOURS. None of the opaque area is shewn, the pear-shaped outline indicating the limits of the pellucid area. At the hinder part of the area isseen the primitive groove pr., with its nearly parallel walls, fading away behind, but curv- ing round and meeting in front so as to form a distinct anterior termination to the groove, about half way up the pellucid area. Above the primitive groove is seen the medullary groove m.c., with the medullary folds A. These diverging behind, slope away on either side of the primitive groove, while in front they curve round and meet each other close upon a curved line which repre- sents the head-fold. The second curved line in front of and concentric with the first is the commencing fold of the amnion. Ir. ] THE GERMINAL WALL. 65 side are situated the mesoblastic plates (B). The hypo- blast forms a continuous and nearly flat layer below. While the changes just described have been occur- ring in the area pellucida, the growth of the area opaca has also progressed actively. The epiblast has greatly extended itself, and important changes have taken place in the constitution of the germinal wall already spoken of. The mesoblast and hypoblast of the area opaca do not arise by simple extension of the corresponding layers of the area pellucida; but the whole of the hypoblast of the area opaca, and a large portion of the meso- blast, and possibly even some of the epiblast, take their origin from the peculiar material which forms the germinal wall and which is continuous with the hypo- blast at the edge of the area opaca (vide figs. 15, 17, 18, 19, 20). The exact nature of this material has been the subject of many controversies. Into these controversies it isnot our purpose to enter, but subjoined are the results of our own examination. The germinal wall first consists, as already mentioned, of the lower cells of the thickened edge of the blastoderm, and of the subjacent yolk material with nuclei. During the period before the formation of the primitive streak the epiblast appears to extend itself over the yolk, partly at the expense of the cells of the germinal wall, and possibly even of cells formed around the nuclei in this part. The cells of the germinal wall, which are at first well separated from the yolk below, become gradually ab- sorbed in the growth of the hypoblast, and the remaining cells and yolk then become mingled together, and constitute a com- pound structure, continuous at its inner border with the hypo- blast. This structure is the germinal wall usually so described. It is mainly formed of yolk granules with numerous nuclei, and a somewhat variable number of rather large cells imbedded F, &B. 5 66 THE FIRST DAY. [cHaAP. amongst them. The nuclei, some of which are probably enclosed by a definite cell body, typically form a special layer immedi- ately below the epiblast. A special mass of nuclei (zzde Figs. 18 and 20, n) is usually present at the junction of the hypoblast with the germinal wall. The germinal wall retains the characters just enumerated till near the close of the first day of incubation. One function of its cells appears to be the absorption of yolk material for the growth ‘of the embryo. The chief events then of the second period of the first day are the appearance of the medullary folds and groove, the formation of the notochord and lateral plates of mesoblast, the beginning of the head-fold and amnion, and the histological changes taking place in the several layers. From the 20th to the 24th hour. A view of the embryo during this period is given in Fig. 23. The head-fold enlarges rapidly, the crescentic groove becoming deeper, while at the same time the over- hanging margin of the groove (the upper limb of the q), rises up above the level of the blastoderm ; in fact, the formation of the head of the embryo may now be said to have definitely begun. The medullary folds, increasing in size in every dimension, but especially in height, lean over from either side towards the middle line, and thus tend more and more to roof in the medullary canal, espe- cially near the head. About the end of the first day they come into direct contact in the region which will afterwards become the brain, though they do not as yet coalesce. In this way a tubular canal is formed. This is the medullary or neural canal (Fig. 23, Fig. 24, (iL.] THE MEDULLARY CANAL, 67 Fic. 23, Dorsat VIEW OF THE HARDENED AREA PELLUCIDA OF A CHICK with Five Mesosiastic Somirtrs. THE MEDULLARY FoLps HAVE MET FOR PART OF THEIR EXTENT, BUT HAVE NOT UNITED. apr. anterior part of the primitive streak; p.pr. posterior part of the primitive streak. Mc.). It is not completely closed in till a period con- siderably later than the one we are considering. Meanwhile important changes are taking place in the axial portions of the mesoblast, which lie on each side of the notochord beneath the medullary folds. In an embryo of the middle period of this day, examined with transmitted light, the notochord is seen at the bottom of the medullary groove between. the medullary folds, as a transparent line shining through the floor of the groove when the embryo is viewed from above. On either side of the notochord the body of the embryo appears somewhat opaque, 5—2 68 THE FIRST DAY. [ CHAP. owing to the thickness of the medullary folds; as these folds slope away outwards on either side, so the opacity gradually fades away in the pellucid area. There is present at the sides no sharp line of demarca- tion between the body of the embryo and the rest of the area; nor will there be any till the lateral folds ‘make their appearance ; and transverse vertical sections shew (Fig. 21) that there is no break in the mesoblast, from the notochord to the margin of the pellucid area, but only a gradual thinning. During the latter period of the day, however, the plates of mesoblast on either side of the notochord begin to be split horizontally into two layers, the one of which attaching itself to the epiblast, forms with it the somatopleure (shewn for a somewhat later stage in Fig. 24), while the other, attaching itself to the hypoblast, forms with it the splanchnopleure. By the separation of these two layers from each other, a cavity (Pp), containing fluid only, and more con- spicuous in certain parts of the embryo than in others, is developed. This cavity is the beginning of that great serous cavity of the body which afterwards becomes divided into separate cavities. We shall speak of it as the plewro-peritoneal cavity. This cleavage into somatopleure and splanchno- pleure extends close up to the walls of the medullary canal, but close to the medullary canal a central or axial portion of each plate becomes marked off by a slight constriction from the peripheral (Fig. 24), and receives the name of vertebral plate, the more external mesoblast being called the lateral plate. The cavity between the two layers of the lateral plate rapidly Itl. | VERTEBRAL PLATE. 69 enlarges, while that in the vertebral plate remains in the condition of a mere split. Fie. 24. TRANSVERSE SECTION THROUGH THE DoRsAL REGION OF AN EmBryo oF THE Second Day (copied from His), intro- duced here to illustrate the formation of the mesoblastic somitis, and the cleavage of the mesoblast. M. medullary canal; Pv. mesoblastic somite; w. rudiment of Wolffian duct; A. epiblast; C. hypoblast; CA. notochord ; Ao. aorta ; BC. splanchnopleure. At first each vertebral plate is not only unbroken along its length, but also continuous at its outer edge with the upper and lower layers of the lateral plate of the same side. Very soon, however, clear trans- verse lines are seen, in surface views (Fig. 28), stretch- ing inwards across each vertebral plate from the edge of the lateral plate towards the notochord; while a transparent longitudinal line makes its appearance on either side of the notochord along the line of junction of the lateral with the vertebral plate. The transverse lines are caused by the formation of vertical clefts, that is to say, narrow spaces containing nothing but clear fluid; and sections shew that they 70 THE FIRST DAY. [CHAP. are due to breaches of continuity in the mesoblast only, the epiblast and hypoblast having no share in the matter. Thus each vertebral plate appears in surface views to be cut up into a series of square plots, bounded by transparent lines (Fig. 23). Each square plot is the surface of a corresponding cubical mass (Fig. 24, Pv.). The two such cubical masses first formed, lying one on each side of the notochord, beneath and a little to the outside of the medullary folds, are the first pair of mesoblastic somites’. The mesoblastic somites form the basis out of which the voluntary muscles of the trunk and the bodies of the vertebra are formed. The first somite rises close to the anterior ex- tremity of the primitive streak, but the next is stated to arise in front of this, so that the first-formed sv- mite corresponds to the second permanent vertebra. The region of the embryo in front of the second formed somite—at first the largest part of the whole embryo—is the cephalic region (Fig. 23). The somites following the second are formed in regular succession from before backwards, out of the unsegmented mesoblast of the posterior end of the embryo, which rapidly grows in length to supply the necessary material. With the growth of the embryo the primitive streak is con- tinually carried back, the lengthening of the embryo always taking place between the front end of the primitive streak and the last somite; and during this 1 These bodies are frequently called protovertebre, but we shall employ for them the term mesoblastic somites. I1.] THE NEURENTERIC PASSAGE. 71 process the primitive streak undergoes important changes both in itself and in its relation to the embryo. Its anterior thicker part, which is embraced by the diverging medullary folds, soon becomes distinguished in structure from the posterior part, and is placed symmetrically in relation to the axis of the embryo, (Fig. 23 a.pr); at the same time the medullary folds, which at first simply diverge on each side of the primitive streak, bend in again and meet behind so as completely to enclose this front part of the primi- tive streak. The region, where the medullary folds diverge, is known as the sinus rhomboidalis of the embryo bird, though it has no connection with the similarly named structure in the adult. This is a convenient place to notice remarkable appearances which present themselves close to the junction of the neural plate and the primitive streak. These are temporary passages leading from the hinder end of the neural groove or tube into the alimen- tary canal. They vary somewhat in different species of birds, and it is possible that in some species there may be several openings of the kind, which appear one after the other and then close again. They were first discovered by Gasser, and are spoken of as the neurenteric passages or canals}, In all cases, with some doubtful exceptions, they lead round the posterior end of the notochord, or through the point where the notochord falls into the primitive streak. The largest of these passages is present in the embryo duck with twenty-six mesoblastic somites, and is represented in the series of sections (Fig. 25). The passage leads obliquely back- wards and ventralwards from the hind end of the neural tube 1 “Die Primitivstreifen bei Vogelembryonen.” Schrift. d. Gesell. z. Beford d. Gesammten Naturwiss, zu Marburg. Vol. 1. Supple- ment 1. 1879. 72 THE FIRST DAY. [ CHAP. Fig. 25. Four TRANSVERSE SECTIONS THROUGH THE NEURENTERIC PassaGE AND ADJorInIna Parts In A Duck Empryo WITH TWENTY-six MEsospLastc SomITEs. A. Section in front of the neurenteric canal, shewing a lumen in the notochord. B. Section through the passage from the medullary canal into the notochord. ; C. Section shewing the hypoblastic opening of the neuren- teric canal, and the groove on the surface of the primitive streak, which opens in front into the medullary canal. D. Primitive streak immediately behind the opening of the neurenteric passage. me. medullary canal; ep. epiblast ; hy. hypoblast ; ch. noto- chord ; pr. primitive streak. 11.] THE NEURENTERIC PASSAGE. 73 into the notochord, -where the latter joins the primitive streak (B). A narrow diverticulum from this passage is continued for- wards for a short distance along the axis of the notochord (A, ch). After traversing the notochord, the passage is continued into a hypoblastic diverticulum, ayiiiel opens ventrally into the future lumen of the alimentary tract (C). Shortly behind the point where the neurenteric passage communicates with the neural tube the latter structure opens dorsally, and a groove on the surface of the primitive streak is continued backwards from it for a short distance (C). The first part of this passage to appear is the hypoblastic diverticulum above mentioned. Fie. 26, Diagrammatic LoneirupInaL SECTION THROUGH THE Pos- TERIOR END OF AN Embryo BIRD AT THE TIME OF THE ForRMATION OF THE ALLANTOIS. ep. epiblast; Sp.c. spinal canal ; ch, notochord ; n.e. neurenteric canal; Ay. hypoblast; p.a.g. post-anal gut; pr. remains of primitive streak folded in on the ventral side; al. allantois ; me. mesoblast ; an. point where anus will be formed; p.c. perivisceral cavity; am. amnion; so. somatopleure; sp. splanchnopleure. In the chick we have found in some cases an incomplete pas- sage prior to the formation of the first somite. Ata later stage 74 THE FIRST DAY. [cHaAP. there is a perforation on the floor of the neural canal, which is not so marked as those in the goose or duck, and never results in a complete continuity between the neural and alimentary tracts ; but simply leads from the floor of the neural canal into the tissues of the tail-swelling, and thence into a cavity in the posterior part of the notochord. The hinder diverticulum of the neural canal along the line of the primitive groove is, moreover, very considerable in the chick, and is not so soon obliterated as in the goose. The incomplete passage in the chick arises at a period when about twelve somites are present. The third passage is formed in the chick during the third day of incuba- tion. The anterior part of the primitive streak becomes con- verted into the tail-swelling; the groove of the posterior part gradually shallows and finally disappears. The hinder part itself atrophies from behind forwards, and in the course of the folding off of the embryo from the yolk the part of the blastoderm where it was placed becomes folded in, so as to form part of the ventral wall of the embryo. The apparent hinder part of the primitive streak is therefore in reality ventral and anterior in relation to the embryo. Since the commencement of incubation the area opaca has been spreading outwards over the surface of the yolk, and by the end of the first day has reached about the diameter of a sixpence. It appears more or less mottled over the greater part of its extent, but this is more particularly the case with the portion lying next to the pellucid area; so much so, that around the pel- lucid area an inner ring of the opaque area may be distinguished from the rest by the difference of its aspect. The mottled appearance of this inner ring is due to changes taking place in the mesoblast above the germi- nal wall—changes which eventually result in the forma- IIL] SUMMARY. 75 tion of what is called the vascular area, the outer border of which marks the extreme limit to which the meso- blast extends. The changes then which occur during the first day may thus be briefly summarized : (1) The hypoblast is formed as a continuous layer of plate-like cells from the lower layer of the segmenta- tion spheres. (2) The primitive streak is formed in the hinder part of the area pellucida as a linear proliferation of epiblast cells. These cells spread out as a layer on each side of the primitive streak, and form part of the mesoblast. (3) The primitive groove is formed along the axis of the primitive streak. (4) The pellucid area becomes pear-shaped, the broad end corresponding with the future head of the embryo. Its long axis lies at right angles to the long axis of the egg. (5) The medullary plate with the medullary groove makes its appearance in front of the primitive groove. (6) The primitive hypoblast in the region of the medullary plate gives rise to an axial rod of cells forming the notochord, and to two lateral plates of mesoblast. The innermost stratum of the primitive layer forms the permanent hypoblast. (7) The development of the head-fold gives rise to the first definite appearance of the head. (8) The medullary folds rise up and meet first in the region of the mid-brain to form the neural tube. (9) By the cleavage of the mesoblast, the somato- pleure separates from the splanchnopleure. 76 THE FIRST DAY. [CHAP. III. (10) One or more pairs of mesoblastic somites make their appearance in the vertebral portion of the meso- blastic plates. (11) ‘he first trace of the amnion appears in front of the head-fold. (12) The vascular area begins to be distinguished from the rest of the opaque area. CHAPTER IV. THE CHANGES WHICH TAKE PLACE DURING THE FIRST HALF OF THE SECOND DAY. General development, In attempting to remove the blastoderm from an egg which has undergone from 30 to 36 hours’ incubation, the observer can- not fail to notice a marked change in the consist- ency of the blastodermic structures. The excessive delicacy and softness of texture which rendered the extraction of an 18 or 20 hours’ blastoderm so difficult, has given place to a considerable amount of firmness; the outlines of the embryo and its appendages are much bolder and more distinct; and the whole blastoderm can be removed from the egg with much greater ease. In the embryo itself viewed from above one of the features which first attracts attention is the progress in the head-fold (Fig. 27). The upper limb or head has become much more prominent, while the lower groove is not only proportionately deeper, but is also being carried back beneath the body of the embryo. The medullary folds are closing rapidly. In the region of the head they have quite coalesced, a slight notch in the middle line at the extreme front marking 78 THE SECOND DAY. [cHaP. for some little time their line of junction (Fig. 28). The open medullary groove of the first day has thus become converted into a tube, the neural canal, closed in front, but as yet open behind. Even before the Fie. 27. EMBRYO OF THE CHICK BETWEEN THIRTY AND THIRTY-SIX HOURS, VIEWED FROM ABOVE AS AN OPAQUE OBJECT. (Chromic acid preparation.) fo. front-brain : mb. mid-brain ; 2.6. hind-brain ; op.v. optic vesi- cle; au.p. auditory pit; o,f. vitelline vein ; p.v. mesoblastic somite; mf. line of junction of the medullary folds above the Iv.] THE BRAIN. 79 medullary canal; s.r. sinus rhomboidalis ; ¢. tail-fold ; p.r. remains of primitive groove (not satisfactorily represented) ; a.p. area pellucida. The line to the side between p.v. and mf. represents the true length of the embryo. The fiddle-shaped outline indicates the margin of the pellucid area. The head, which reaches as far back as 0.f,, is dis- tinctly marked off; but neither the somatopleuric nor splanchnopleuric folds are shewn in the figure; the latter diverge at the level of o,f, the former considerably nearer the front, somewhere between the lines m.b. and ’.b. The optic vesicles op.v. are seen bulging out beneath the superfi- cial epiblast. The heart lying underneath the opaque body cannot be seen. The tail-fold ¢. is just indicated ; no dis- tinct lateral folds are as yet visible in the region midway between head and tail. At mf. the line of junction between the medullary folds is still visible, being lost forwards over the cerebral vesicles, while behind may be seen the remains of the sinus rhomboidalis, s.r. medullary folds coalesce completely in the cephalic region, the front end of the neural canal dilates into a small bulb, whose cavity remains continuous with the rest of the canal, and whose walls are similarly formed of epiblast. This bulb is known as the first cerebral vesicle, Fig. 27, fb. and makes its appearance in the early hours of the second day. From its sides two lateral processes almost at once grow out: they are known as the optic vesicles (Fig. 27, op.v.), and their history will be dealt with at length somewhat later. Behind the first cerebral vesicle a second and a third soon make their appearance; they are successively formed very shortly after the first vesicle; but the consideration of them may be conveniently reserved to a later period. At the level of the hind end of the 80 THE SECOND DAY. [CHLAP. An Empryo CHIcK oF aBout THIRTY-sIx Hours. VIEWED FROM BELOW AS A TRANSPARENT OBJECT. FB. the fore-brain or first cerebral vesicle, projecting from the sides of which are seen the optic vesicles, op. A definite head is now constituted, the backward limit of the somato- pleure fold being indicated by the faint line 8.0. Around the head are seen the two limbs of the amniotic head-fold : one, the true amnion a, closely enveloping the head, the other, the false amnion a’, at some distance from it. The head is seen to project beyond the anterior limit of the pellucid area. The splanchnopleure folds extend as far back as sp. Along its diverging limbs are seen the conspicuous venous roots of Iv.] THE MESOBLASTIC SOMITES. 81 the vitelline veins, uniting to form the heart h, already established by the coalescence of two lateral halves which, continuing forward as the bulbus arteriosus b.a., is lost in the substance of the head just in front of the somatopleure fold. HB. hind-brain; MB. mid-brain; p.v. and v.pl. mesoblastic somites ; ch, front end of notochord ; mc. posterior part of notochord ; ¢. parietal mesoblast ; p/. outline of area pellu- cida ; pv. primitive streak. head two shallow pits are visible. They constitute the first rudiments of the organ of hearing, and are known as the auditory pits (Fig. 27, au.p.). The number of mesoblastic somites increases rapidiy by a continued segmentation of the vertebral plates of mesoblast. The four or five pairs formed during the first day have by the middle of the second increased to as many as fifteen. The addition takes place from before backwards; and the hindermost one is for some time placed nearly on a level with the boundary be- tween the hind end of the trunk of the embryo, and the front end of the primitive streak. For some time the already formed somites do not increase in size,. so that at first the embryo clearly elongates by addi- tions to its hinder end. Immediately behind the level of the last meso- blastic somite there is placed an enlargement of the unclosed portion of the medullary canal. This enlarge- ment is the sinus rhomboidalis already spoken of. It is shewn in Fig. 23. On its floor is placed the front end of the primitive streak. It is a purely embryonic structure which disappears during the second day. In a former chapter it was pointed out (p. 27) that the embryo is virtually formed by a folding F.& B. 6 82 THE SECOND DAY. [CHAP. or tucking in of a limited portion of the blastoderm, first at the anterior extremity, and afterwards at the posterior extremity and at the sides. One of the results of this doubling up of. the blastoderm to form the head is the appearance, below the anterior extremity of the medullary tube, of a short canal, ending blindly in front, but open widely behind (Fig. 29, D), a cul de sac, in fact, lined with hypoblast and reaching from the extreme front of the embryo to the point where the splanchnopleuric leaf of the head-fold (Fig. 29, F. Sp) turns back on itself. This cul de sac, which of course be- comes longer and longer the farther back the head-fold is carried, is the rudiment of the front end of the alimen- tary canal, the fore-gut, as it might be called. In trans- verse section it appears to be flattened horizontally, and also bent, so as to have its convex surface looking downwards (Fig. 30, al). At first the anterior end is quite blind, there being no mouth as yet; the formation of this at a subsequent date will be described later on. At the end of the first half of the second day the head-fold has not proceeded very far backwards, and its limits can easily be seen in the fresh embryo both from above and from below (Fig. 28). The heart. It is in the head-fold that the forma- tion of the heart takes place, its mode of origin being connected with that cleavage of the mesoblast and con- sequent formation of splanchnopleure and somatopleure of which we have already spoken. At the extreme end of the embryo (Fig. 29), where the blastoderm begins to be folded back, the mesoblast is never cleft, and here consequently there is neither somatopleure nor splanchnopleure; but at a point a Iv.] THE HEART. 83 Fic, 29. SaaS a oo \ Ee. ch OL DiacRAMMatTic LONGITUDINAL SECTION THROUGH THE AXIS OF AN Empryo. The section is supposed to be made at a time when the head- fold has commenced but the tail-fold has not yet appeared. N.C. neural canal, closed in front but as yet oven behind. Ch. notochord. The section being taken in the middle line, the protovertebre are of course not shewn. In front of the notochord is seen a mass of uncleft mesoblast, which will eventually form part of the skull. JD. the commencing foregut or front part of the alimentary canal. F. So. Somatopleure, raised up in its peripheral portion into the amniotic fold Am. Sp. Splanchnopleure. At Sp. it forms the under wall of the foregut; at F. Sp. it is turning round and about to run forward. Just at its turning point the cavity of the heart Ht. is being developed in its mesoblast. pp. pleuroperitoneal cavity. A epiblast, B mesoblast, C hypoblast, indicated in the rest of the figure by differences in the shading. At the part where these three lines of reference end the mesoblast is as yet uncleft. very little further back, close under the blind end of the foregut, the cleavage (at the stage of which we are speaking) begins, and the somatopleure, F.So, and splanchnopleure, F. Sp. diverge from each other. They 6—2 84 THE SECOND DAY. [CHaP. thus enclose between them a cavity, pp, which rapidly increases behind by reason of the fact that the fold of the splanchnopleure is carried on towards the hinder extremity of the embryo considerably in advance of that of the somatopleure. Both folds, after running a certain distance towards the hind end of the embryo, are turned round again, and then course once more for- wards over the yolk-sac. As they thus return (the somatopleure having meanwhile given off the fold of the amnion, Am.), they are united again to form the uncleft blastodermic investment of the yolk-sac. In this way the cavity arising from their separation is closed below. It is in this cavity, which from its mode of forma- tion the reader will recognise as a part (and indeed at this epoch it constitutes the greater part) of the general pleuroperitoneal cavity, that the heart is formed. This makes its appearance at the under surface and hind end of the foregut, just where the splanchnopleure folds turn round to pursue a forward course (Fig. 29, Ht.) ; and by the end of the first half of the second day (Fig. 28, h) has acquired somewhat the form of a flask with a slight bend to the right. At its anterior end a slight swelling marks the future bulbus arteriosus ; and a bulging behind indicates the position of the auricles. It is hollow, and its cavity opens behind into two vessels called the vitelline veins (Figs. 27, o,f. and 28 sp.), which pass outwards in the folds of the splanchno- pleure at nearly right angles to the axis of the embryo. The anterior extremity of the heart is connected with the two aorta. The heart, including both its muscular wall and its Iv.] THE HEART, 85 epitheloid lining, is developed out of the splanchnic mesoblast on the ventral side of the throat. But since the first commencements of the heart make their appearance prior to the formation of the throat, the development of this organ is somewhat complicated; and in order to gain a clear conception of the manner in which it takes place the topography of the region where it is formed needs to be very distinctly under- stood. In the region where the heart is about to appear, the splanchnopleure is continually being folded in on either side, and these lateral folds are progressively meeting and uniting in the middle line to form the under or ventral wall of the foregut. At any given moment these folds will be found to have completely united in the middle line along a certain distance measured from the point in front where the cleavage of the mesoblast (i.e. the separation into somatopleure and splanch- nopleure) begins, to a particular point farther back. They will here be found to be diverging from the point where they were united, and not only diverging late- rally each from the middle line, but also both turning so as to run in a forward direction to regain the surface of the yolk and rejoin the somatopleure, Fig. 29. Ina transverse section taken behind this extreme point of union, or point of divergence, as we may call it, the splanchnopleure on either side when traced downwards from the axis of the embryo may be seen to bend in towards the middle so as to approach its fellow, and then to run rapidly outwards, Fig. 31, B. A longitudinal section shews that it runs forwards also at the same time, Fig. 29. A section through the very point of 86 THE SECOND DAY. [cHapP. divergence shews the two folds meeting in the middle line and then separating again, so as to form something like the letter z, with the upper limbs converging, and the lower limbs diverging. In a section taken in front of the point of divergence, the lower diverging limbs of the # have disappeared altogether; nothing is left but the upper limbs, which, completely united in the middle line, form the under-wall of the fore- gut. As development proceeds, what we have called the point of divergence is continually being carried farther and farther back, so that the distance between it and the point where the somatopleure and splanchnopleure separate from each other in front, 7. ¢. the length of the foregut, is continually increasing. In the chick, as we have already stated, the heart commences to be formed in a region where the folds of the splanchnopleure have not yet united to form the ventral wall of the throat, and appears in the form of two thickenings of the mesoblast of the splanchno- pleure, along the diverging folds, z.e. along the lower limbs of the #, just behind the point of divergence. These thickenings are continued into each other by a similar thickening of the mesoblast extending through the point of divergence itself. The heart has thus at first the form of an inverted V, and consists of two independent cords of splanchnic mesoblast which meet in front, without however uniting. As the folding-in of the splanchnopleure is continued backwards the two diverging halves of the heart are gradually brought together. Thus very soon the develop- ing heart has the form of an inverted Y, consisting of an Iv.] THE HEART. 87 unpaired portion in front and two diverging limbs be- hind. The unpaired portion is the true heart, while the diverging limbs are the vitelline veins already spoken of (Fig. 28, sp). While the changes just spoken of have been taking place in the external form of the heart, its internal parts have also become differentiated. A cavity is formed in each of the halves of the heart before even they have coalesced. Each of these cavities has at first the form of an irregular space Fic. 30. TRANSVERSE SECTION THROUGH THE PosTERIOR PaRT OF THE HEAD oF aN Empryo Cuick or THIRTY Hours. hb. hind-brain; vg. vagus nerve; ep. epiblast; ch. notochord ; . thickening of hypoblast (possibly a rudiment of the sub- notochordal rod); al. throat; At. heart; pp. body cavity ; so. somatic mesoblast ; sf splanchnic mesoblast ; Ay. hypo- blast. 88 THE SECOND DAY. [CHAP. between the splanchnic mesoblast and the wall of the throat (Fig. 30, At.). During their formation (Fig. 30), a thin layer of mesoblast remains in contact with the hypoblast, but connected with the main mass of the mesoblast of the heart by protoplasmic processes. A second layer next becomes split from the main mass of mesoblast, being still connected with the first layer by the above-mentioned protoplasmic processes. These two layers unite to form a tube which constitutes the epithe- lioid lining of the heart; the lumen of this tube is the cavity of the heart, and soon loses the protoplasmic trabecule which at first traverse it. The cavity of the heart may thus be described as being formed by a hollowing out of the splanchnic mesoblast. Some of the central cells of the original thickenings probably become blood-corpuscles. The thick outer part of the cords of splanchnic meso- blast which form the heart become the muscular walls and peritoneal covering of this organ. The muscular wall of each division of the heart has at first the form of a half tube widely open on its dorsal aspect, that is towards the hypoblast of the gut (Fig. 30 and 32). After the two halves of the heart have coalesced in the manner already explained, the muscular walls grow in towards the middle line on the dorsal side until they meet each other and coalesce, thus forming a complete tube as shewn diagrammatically in Fig. 31,A. They remain, however, at first continuous with the splanchnic mesoblast surrounding the throat, thus forming a pro- visional mesentery—the mesocardium—attaching the heart to the ventral wall of the throat. The epithelioid tubes formed in the two halves of the heart remain for Iv.] THE VASCULAR SYSTEM. 89 some time separate, and cause the cavity of the heart to be divided into two tubes even after its two halves have to all appearance completely coalesced’. Soon after its formation the heart begins to beat; its at first slow and rare pulsations beginning at the venous and passing on to the arterial end. It is of some interest to note that its functional activity commences long before the cells of which it is composed shew any distinct differentiation into muscular or nervous ele- ments. Vascular system. To provide channels for the fluid thus pressed by the contractions of the heart, a system of tubes has made its appearance in the meso- blast both of the embryo itself and of the vascular and pellucid areas. In front the single tube of the bulbus arteriosus bifurcates into two primitive aortew, each of which bending round the front end of the foregut, passes from its under to its upper side, the two forming together a sort of incomplete arterial collar imbedded in the mesoblast of the gut. Arrived at the upper side of the gut, they turn sharply round, and run separate but parallel to each other backwards towards the tail, in the mesoblast on each side of the notochord immediately under the mesoblastic somites (Figs. 32, Ao, 34, ao). About half way to the hinder extremity each gives off at right angles to the axis of the embryo a large branch, the vitelline artery (Fig. 36, Of, A.), which, passing outwards, is distributed over the pellucid and vascular areas, the main trunk of each aorta passing on with greatly diminished calibre towards the tail, in which it becomes lost. 1 This is not shewn in the diagram, Fig. 31, A. 90 THE SECOND DAY. [CHAP. Fie. 31. Two DIAGRAMMATIC SECTIONS OF A THIRTY-SIX HOURS’ EMBryo ILLUSTRATING THE STRUCTURE OF THE HEART SHORTLY AFTER ITS FORMATION. A IS THE ANTERIOR SECTION. hb. hind brain; ne. notochord; £. epiblast ; so. somatopleure ; sp. splanchnopleure; d. alimentary canal; hy. hypoblast ; hz. (in A) heart ; of. vitelline vein. In A the two halves of the heart have coalesced to form an unpaired tube suspended from the ventral wall of the throat. Iv.] THE VASCULAR SYSTEM. 91 In B are seen in the diverging folds of the splanchnopleure the two vitelline veins (of) which will shortly unite to form the ductus venosus. Fie. 32. TRANSVERSE SECTION OF AN EMBRYO AT THE END OF THE Seconp Day PASSING THROUGH THE REGION oF THE BuLBus ARTERIOSUS. (Copied from His.) M. medullary canal in the region of the hind brain ; V. anterior cardinal vein; do. Aorta; Ch. Notochord; al. alimentary canal; H. Heart (bulbus arteriosus); Pp. Pleuroperitoneal cavity; am. amnion. In the vascular and pellucid areas, the formation of vascular channels with a subsequent differentiation into arteries, capillaries and veins, is proceeding rapidly. Blood-corpuscles too are being formed in considerable numbers. The mottled yellow vascular area becomes covered with red patches consisting of aggregations of blood-corpuscles, often spoken of as blood-islands. Round the extreme margin of the vascular area and nearly completely encircling it, is seen a thin red line, the sinus or vena terminalis (Fig. 36, Sv.). This will soon increase in size and importance. From the vascular and pellucid area several large channels are seen to unite and form two large trunks, 92 THE SECOND DAY. [cHaP. one on either side, which running along the splanch- nopleure folds at nearly right angles to the axis of the embryo, unite at the “point of divergence” to join the venous end of the heart. These are the vitelline veins spoken of above. Both vessels and corpuscles are formed entirely from the cells of the mesoblast; and in the regions where the mesoblast is cleft, are at first observed ex- clusively in the splanchnopleure. Ultimately of course they are found in the mesoblast everywhere. In the pellucid area, where the formation of the blood-vessels may be most easily observed, a number of mesoblastic cells are seen to send out processes (Fig. 33). These processes unite, and by their union a protoplasmic network is formed containing nuclei at the points from which the processes started. The nuclei, which as a rule are much elongated and contain large oval nucleoli, increase very rapidly by division, and thus form groups of nuclei at the, so to speak, nodal points of the network. Several nuclei may also be seen here and there in the processes themselves. The network being completed, these groups, by continued division of the nuclei, increase rapidly in ‘size; the protoplasm around them acquires a red colour, and the whole mass breaks up into blood-corpuscles (Fig. 33, b.c.) The proto- plasm. on the outside of each group, as well as that of the uniting processes, remains granular, and together with the nuclei in it forms the walls of the blood-vessels. A plasma is secreted by the walls, and in this the blood-corpuscles float freely. Each nodal point is thus transformed into a more or less rounded mass of blood-corpuscles floating in plasma but en- veloped by a layer of nucleated protoplasm, the several groups being united by strands of nucleated protoplasm. These uniting strands rapidly increase in thickness; new processes are also continually being formed; and thus the network is kept close and thickset while the area is increasing in size. By changes similar to those which took place in the nodal Iv.] THE VASCULAR SYSTEM. 93 points, blood-corpuscles make their appearance in the pro- cesses also,.the central portions of which become at the same time liquefied. By the continued widening of the connecting processes and solution of their central portions, accompanied by a corresponding increase in the enveloping nucleated cells, the original proto- Fia. 33. Surrace VIEW FROM BELOW OF A SMALL PORTION OF THE Postrriok EnD oF THE PELLUCID AREA OF A THIRTY-SIX Hours’ Cuick. To illustrate the formation of the blood- capillaries and blood-corpuscles, magnified 400 diameters. b.c. Blood-corpuscles at a nodal point, already beginning to acquire a red colour. They are enclosed in a layer of proto- plasm, in the outermost part of which are found nuclei, a. These nuclei subsequently become the nuclei of the cells forming the walls of the vessels. The nodal groups are united by protoplasmic processes (p.pr), also containing nuclei with large nucleoli (n). 94 THE SECOND DAY. (CHAP. plasmic network is converted into a system of communicating tubes, the canals of which contain blood-corpuscles and plasma, and the walls of which are formed of flattened nucleated cells. The blood-corpuscles pass freely from the nodal points into the hollow processes, and thus the network of protoplasm be- comes a network of blood-vessels, the nuclei of the corpuscles and of the walls of which have been, by separate paths of development, derived from the nuclei of the original protoplasm. The formation of the corpuscles does not proceed equally rapidly or to the same extent in all parts of the blastoderm. By far the greater part are formed in the vascular area, but some arise in the pellucid area, especially in the hinder part. In the front of the pellucid area the processes are longer and the network accordingly more open; the corpuscles also are both later in appearing and less numerous when formed. Assuming the truth of the above account, it is evident that the blood-vessels of the yolk-sack of the chick do not arise as spaces or channels between adjacent cells of the mesoblast, but are hollowed out in the communicating protoplasmic substance of the cells themselves. The larger vessels of the trunk are however probably formed as spaces between the cells, much as is the case with the heart. Wolffian duct. About this period there may be seen in transverse sections, taken through the embryo in the region of the seventh to the eleventh somite a small group of cells (Fig. 34, W. d) projecting on either side from the mass of uncleft mesoblast on the outside of the mesoblastic somites, into the somewhat triangular space bounded by the epiblast above, the upper and outer angle of the mesoblastic somite on the inside, and the somatic mesoblast on the outside. This group of cells is the section of a longitudinal ridge, the rudiment of the Wolffian duct or primitive duct of the excretory system; while the mass of cells Iv.] SUMMARY. 95 from which it springs is known as the intermediate cell mass. We shall return to them immediately. Summary. The most important changes then which take place during the first half of the second day are, the closure of the medullary folds, especially in the anterior part, and the dilatation of the canal so formed into the first cerebral vesicle; the establishment of a certain number of mesoblastic somites; the elevation of the head from the plane of the blastoderm; the forma- tion of the tubular heart and of the great blood-vessels ; and the appearance of the rudiment of the Wolffian duct. It is important to remember that the embryo of which we are now speaking is simply a part of the whole germinal membrane, which is gradually spreading over the surface of the yolk. It is important also to bear in mind that all that part of the embryo which is in front of the foremost somite corresponds to the future head, and the rest to the neck, body and tail. During this period the head occupies about a third of the whole length of the embryo. CHAPTER V. THE CHANGES WHICH TAKE PLACE DURING THE SECOND HALF OF THE SECOND DAY. ONE important feature of this stage is the rapid increase in the process of the folding-off of the embryo from the plane of the germ, and its consequent con- version into a distinct tubular cavity. At the begin- ning of the second day, the head alone projected from the rest of the germ, the remainder of the embryo being simply a part of a flat blastoderm, nearly com- pletely level from the front mesoblastic somite to the hind edge of the pellucid area. At this epoch, however, a tail-fold makes its appearance, elevating the tail above the level of the blastoderm in the same way that the head was elevated. Lateral folds also, one on either side, soon begin to be very obvious. By the progress of these, together with the rapid backward extension of the head-fold and the slower forward extension of the tail-fold, the body of the embryo becomes more and more distinctly raised up and marked off from the rest of the blastoderm. The medullary canal closes up rapidly. The wide sinus rhomboidalis becomes a narrow fusiform space, CHAP. V.]| THE BRAIN. 97 and at the end of this period is entirely roofed over. The conversion of the original medullary groove into a closed tube is thus completed. The brain. In the region of the head most im- portant changes now take place. We saw that at the beginning of this day the front end of the medullary canal was dilated into a bulb, the first cerebral vesicle, which by budding off two lateral vesicles became con- verted into three vesicles: a median one connected * by short hollow stalks with a lateral one on either side. The lateral vesicles known as the optic vesicles (Fig. 27, op. v, Fig. 35, a), become converted into parts of the eyes; the median one still retains the name of the first cerebral vesicle. The original vesicle being primarily an involution of the epiblast, the walls of all three vesicles are formed of epiblast; all three vesicles are in addition covered over with the common epiblastic investment which will eventually become the epidermis of the skin of the head. Between this superficial epiblast and the invo- luted epiblast of the vesicles, there exists a certain quantity of mesoblast to serve as the material out of which will be formed the dermis of the scalp, the skull, and other parts of the head. At this epoch, however, the mesoblast is found chiefly underneath the several vesicles (Fig. 30). A small quantity may in section be seen at the sides; but at the top the epidermic epiblast is either in close contact with the involuted epiblast of the cerebral and optic vesicles or separated from it by fluid alone, there being as yet in this region between the two no cellular elements representing the mesoblast. The constrictions marking off the optic vesicles also F.& B. 7 [CHAP. THE SECOND DAY. 98 Fia. 34, ZS — ee ree EO TRANSVERSE SECTION THROUGH THE DORSAL REGION OF AN Empryo oF 45 HOURS. v.] THE BRAIN. 99 A. epiblast. B. mesoblast. C. hypoblast consisting of a single row of flattened cells. J/c. medullary canal. P. v. meso- blastic somite. W.d. Wolffian duct. 8.0. Somatopleure. S.p. Splanchnopleure. p. p. pleuroperitoneal cavity. ¢. h. notochord. a.o. dorsal aorta. v. blood-vessels of the yolk- sac. o.p. line of junction between opaque and pellucid areas ; w, palisade-like yolk spheres which constitute the ger- minal wall. Only one-half of the section is represented in the figure—if completed it would be bilaterally symmetrical about the line of the medullary canal. take place of course beneath the common epiblastic investment, which is not involved in them. As a con- sequence, though easily seen in the transparent fresh Fic. 35. Heap oF A CHICK aT THE END OF THE SEconD Day VIEWED FROM BELOW AS A TRANSPARENT OBJECT. (Copied from Huxley). I. first cerebral vesicle. a. optic vesicle. d. infundibulum. The specimen shews the formation of the optic vesicles (a), as outgrowths from the Ist cerebral vesicle or vesicle of the 3rd ventricle, so that the optic vesicles and vesicle of the 3rd ven- tricle at first freely communicated with each other, and also the growth of the lower wall of the vesicle of the 3rd ventricle into a process which becomes the infundibulum (@). 7—2 100 THE SECOND DAY. [CHAP. embryo (Fig. 28), they are but slightly indicated in hardened specimens (Fig. 27). When an embryo of the early part of the second day is examined as a transparent object, that portion of the medullary canal which lies immediately behind the first cerebral vesicle is seen to be conical in shape, witha its walls thrown into a number of wrinkles. These wrinkles may vary a good deal in appearance, and shift from time to time, but eventually, before the close of the second day, after the formation of the optical vesicles, settle down into two constrictions, one separat- ing the first cerebral vesicle from that part of the medullary canal which is immediately behind it, and the other separating this second portion from a third. So that instead of there being one cerebral vesicle only, as at the commencement of the second day, there is now, in addition to the optic vesicles, a series of three, one behind the other: a second and third cerebral vesicle have been added to the first (Fig. 27, mb, hb). They may be also called the “fore brain,” the “mid brain,” and the “hind brain,” for into these parts will they eventually be developed. The optic vesicles, lying underneath the epiblast, towards the end of the day are turned back and pressed somewhat backwards and downwards against the sides of the first cerebral vesicle or fore brain, an elongation of their stalks permitting this movement to take place. The whole head becomes in consequence somewhat thicker and rounder. Before the end of the day the fore brain elongates anteriorly. The part so established is not at first sepa- rate from that behind, but it is nevertheless the first v.] THE CRANIAL FLEXURE. 101 unpaired commencement of two vesicles which develop into the cerebral hemispheres ; but up to the end of the day it is still very small and inconspicuous. Early on the second day the commencements of several of the cranial nerves make their appearance as outgrowths of the (Fig. 30, vg) roof of the mid and hind brains, but their development, together with that of the spinal nerves, will be dealt with in the next chapter. The notochord. The notochord, whose origin was described in the account of the first day, is during the whole of the second day a very conspicuous object. It is seen as a transparent rod, somewhat elliptical in section (Fig. 34, ch), lying immediately underneath the medullary canal for the greater part of its length, and reaching forward in front as far as below the hind border of the first cerebral vesicle. Cranial flexure. Round the anterior termination of the notochord, the medullary canal, which up to the present time has remained perfectly straight, towards the end of the day begins to curve. The front portion of the canal, z.e. the fore-brain with its optic and cere- bral vesicles, becomes slightly bent downwards, so as to form a rounded obtuse angle with the rest of the embryo. This is the commencement of the so-called cranial flecure and is, mechanically speaking, a con- sequence of the more rapid growth of the dorsal wall of the anterior part of the brain as compared with that of the ventral. Auditory vesicle. Lastly, as far as the head is concerned, the epiblastic plates forming the rudiments of the auditory vesicles become converted into deep pits 102 THE SECOND DAY. (CHAP. opening one on each side of the hind-brain (Fig. 27, au. p). Heart. We left the heart as a fusiform body slightly bent to the right, attached to the under wall of the foregut by the mesocardium. The curvature now increases so much that the heart becomes almost w-shaped, the venous portion being drawn up towards the head so as to lie somewhat above (dorsal to) and behind the arterial portion. (It would perhaps be more correct to say that the free intermediate portion is by its own growth bent downwards, backwards, and some- what to the right, while the venous root of the heart is at the same time continually being lengthened by the carrying back of that “point of divergence” of the splanchnopleure folds which marks the union of the vitelline veins into a single venous trunk.) The heart then has at this time two bends, the one, the venous bend, the right-hand curve of the m; the other, the arterial bend, the left-hand curve of the m. The venous bend which, as we have said, is placed above and somewhat behind the arterial bend, becomes marked by two bulgings, one on either side. These are the rudiments of the auricles, or rather of the auricular appendages. The ascending limb of the arterial bend soon becomes conspicuous as the bulbus arteriosus, while the rounded point of the bend itself will here- after grow into the ventricles. Vascular system. The blood-vessels, whose origin during the first half of this day has been already described, become during the latter part of the day so connected as to form a complete system, through which a definite circulation of the blood is now for the first v.] THE VASCULAR SYSTEM. 103 time (consequently some little while after the com- mencement of the heart’s pulsation) carried on. The two primitive aorte have already been de- scribed as encircling the foregut, and then passing along the body of the embryo immediately beneath the mesoblastic somites on each side of the notochord. They are shewn in Figs. 32 A.o. and 34 a.o in section as two large rounded spaces lined with flattened cells. At first they run as two distinct canals along the whole length of the embryo; but, after a short time, unite at some little distance behind the head into a single trunk, which lies in the middle line of the body immediately below the notochord (Fig. 57). Lower down, nearer the tail, this single primitive trunk again divides into two aorte, which, getting smaller and smaller, are finally lost in the small blood-vessels of the tail. At this epoch, therefore, there are two aortic arches springing from the bulbus arteriosus, and uniting above the ali- mentary canal in the back of the embryo to form the single dorsal aorta, which travelling backwards in the median line divides near the tail into two main branches. From each of the two primitive aorte, or from each of the two branches into which the single aorta, divides, there is given off on either side a large branch. These have been already spoken of as the vitelline arteries. At this stage they are so large that by far the greater part of the blood passing down the aorta finds its way into them, and a small remnant only pursues a straight course into the continuations of the aorta towards the tail. Each vitelline artery leaving the aorta at nearly right angles (at a point some little way behind the 104 THE SECOND DAY. [cHap, backward limit of the splanchnopleure fold which is forming the alimentary canal), runs outwards beneath the mesoblastic somites in the lower range of the meso- blast, close to the hypoblast. Consequently, when in its course outwards it reaches the point where the meso- blast is cleft to form the somatopleure and splanchno- pleure, it attaches itself to the latter. Travelling along this, and dividing rapidly into branches, it reaches the vascular area in whose network of small vessels (and also to a certain extent in the similar small vessels of the pellucid area) it finally loses itself. The terminations of the vitelline arteries in the vascular and pellucid areas are further connected with the heart in two different ways. From the network of capillaries, as we may call them, a number of veins take their origin, and finally unite into two main trunks, the vitelline veins. These have already been described as running along the folds of the splanchnopleure to form the venous roots of the heart. Their course is conse- quently more or less parallel to that of the vitelline arteries, but at some little distance nearer the head, inasmuch as the arteries run in that part of the splanch- nopleure which has not yet been folded in to form the ali- mentary canal. Besides forming the direct roots of the vitelline veins, the terminations of the vitelline arteries in the vascular area are also connected with the sinus terminalis spoken of above as running almost completely round, and forming the outer margin of the vascular area. This (Fig. 36, ST7.), may be best described as composed of two semicircular canals, which nearly meet at points opposite the head and opposite the tail, thus all but encircling the vascular area between them. At the v.] THE VASCULAR SYSTEM. 105 point opposite the head the end of each semicircle is connected with vessels (Fig. 36), which run straight in towards the heart along the fold of the splanchnopleure, and join the right and left vitelline veins. At the point opposite the tail there is at this stage no such definite connection. At the two sides, midway between their head and tail ends, the two semicircles are espe- cially connected with the vitelline arteries. The circulation of the blood then during the latter half of the second day may be described as follows. The blood brought by the vitelline veins falls into the twisted cavity of the heart, and is driven thence through the bulbus arteriosus and aortic arches into the aorta. From the aorta, by far the greater part of the blood flows into the vitelline arteries, only a small remnant passing on into the caudal terminations. From the capillary net-work of the vascular and pellucid areas into which the vitelline arteries discharge their contents, part of the blood is gathered up at once into the lateral or direct trunks of the vitelline veins. Part however goes into the middle region of each lateral half of the sinus terminalis, and there divides on each side into two streams. One stream, and that the larger one, flows in a forward direction until it reaches the point opposite the head, thence it returns by the veins spoken of above, straight to the vitelline trunks. The other stream flows backward, and becomes lost at the point opposite to the tail. This is the condition of things during the second day; it becomes considerably changed on the succeeding day. At the time that the heart first begins to beat the capillary system of the vascular and pellucid areas is 106 THE SECOND DAY. (CHAP. not yet completed; and the fluid which is at first driven by the heart contains, according to most observers, very few corpuscles. At the close of the second day the single pair of aortic arches into which the bulbus arteriosus divides is found to be accompanied by a second pair, formed in the same way as the first, and occupying a position a little behind it. Sometimes even a third pair is added. Of these aortic arches we shall have to speak more fully later on. Wolffian duct. During the latter half of the second day the Wolffian duct to which we have already alluded becomes fully established, while the first traces of the embryonic excretory organs or kidneys, known as the Wolffian bodies, make their appearance. The develop- ment of the latter will be dealt with in the history of the third day, but the history of the duct itself may conveniently be completed here. The first trace of it is visible in an embryo Chick with eight somites, as a ridge projecting from the inter- mediate cell mass towards the epiblast in the region of the seventh somite. In the course of further develop- ment it continues to constitute such a ridge as far as the eleventh somite (Fig. 34 Wd.), but from this point it grows backwards by the division of its cells, as a free column in the space between the epiblast and mesoblast. In an embryo with fourteen somites of about the stage represented in fig. 28 a small lumen has appeared in its middle part, and in front it is connected with rudimentary Wolffian tubules, which develop in con- tinuity with it. In the succeeding stages the lumen of the duct gradually extends backwards and forwards, v.] THE AMNION. 107 and the duct itself also passes inwards relatively to the epiblast (fig. 43 wd). Its hind end elongates till it comes into connection with, and opens on the fourth day into the cloacal section of the hind-gut. The amnion and allantois, The amnion, especially the anterior or head fold, advances in growth very rapidly during the second day, and at the close of the day completely covers the head and neck of the embryo; so much so that it is necessary to tear or remove it when the head has to be examined in hardened opaque speci- mens. The tail and lateral folds of the amnion, though still progressing, lag considerably behind the head-fold. The side-folds eventually meet in the median dorsal line, and their coalescence proceeds backwards from the head-fold in a linear direction, till there is only a small opening left over the tail of the embryo. This finally becomes closed early on the third day. In Figs. 32 and 43 am. the folds of the amnion are shewn before they have coalesced. After the coalescence of the folds of the amnion above the embryo the two limbs of which each is formed become, as already ex- plained in chapter IL, separate from each other: the inner, forming a special investment of the embryo, and constituting the amnion proper (Fig. 65), the outer at- taching itself to the vitelline membrane and becoming the serous envelope. The development of the allantois commences during the second day, but since it is mainly completed during the third day we need not dwell upon it further in this place. Summary. The chief events, then, which occur during the second half of the second day are as follow:— 108 THE SECOND DAY. [CHAP. V. 1. The second and third cerebral vesicles make their appearance behind the first. _2. The optic vesicles spring as hollow buds from the lateral, and the unpaired commencement of the cere- bral hemispheres from the front, portions of the first cerebral vesicle. 3. The auditory plate becomes converted into a pit, opening at the side of the hind-brain or third cere- bral vesicle. 4. The first indications of the cranial flextire be- come visible. 5. The head-fold, and especially the splanchno- pleure moiety, advances rapidly backwards; the head of the embryo is in consequence more definitely formed. The tail-fold also becomes distinct. 6. The curvature of the heart increases; the first rudiments of the auricles appear. 7. The circulation of the yolk-sac is established. 8. The amnion grows rapidly, and the allantois commences to be formed. CHAPTER VI. THE CHANGES WHICH TAKE PLACE DURING THE THIRD DAY. Or all days in the history of the chick within the egg this perhaps is the most eventful; the rudi- ments of so many important organs now first make their appearance. In many instances we shall trace the history of these organs beyond the third day of incubation, in order to give the reader a complete view of their development. On opening an egg on the third day the first thing which attracts notice is the diminution of the white of the egg. This seems to be one of the consequences of the functional activity of the newly-established vascular area whose blood-vessels are engaged either in directly absorbing the white or, as is more probable, in absorbing the yolk, which is in turn replenished at the expense of the white. The absorption, once begun, goes on so actively that, by the end of the day, the decrease of the white is very striking. The blastoderm has now spread over about half the yolk, the extreme margin of the opaque area reach- 110 THE THIRD DAY. [cHAP. ing about half-way towards the pole of the yolk opposite to the embryo, The vascular area, though still increasing, is much smaller than the total opaque area, being in average- sized eggs about as large as a florin. Still smaller than the vascular area is the pellucid area in the centre of which lies the rapidly growing embryo. During the third day the vascular area is not only a means for providing the embryo with nourish- ment from the yolk, but also, inasmuch as by the dimi- nution of the white it is brought close under the shell and therefore fully exposed to the influence of the atmosphere, serves as the chief organ of respiration. This in fact is the period at which the vascular area may be said to be in the stage of its most complete de- velopment; for though it will afterwards become larger, it will at the same time become less definite and rela- tively less important. We may therefore, before we proceed, add a few words to the description of it given in the last chapter. The blood leaving the body of the embryo by the vitelline arteries (Fig. 36, R. Of. A., L. Of A) is carried to the small vessels and capillaries of the vascu- lar area, a small portion only being appropriated by the pellucid area. From the vascular area part of the blood returns directly to the heart by the main lateral trunks of the vitelline veins, R. Of, L. Of. During the second day these venous trunks joined the body of the embryo considerably in front of, that is, nearer the head than, the corresponding arterial ones. Towards the end of the third day, owing to the continued lengthening of v1] THE VASCULAR AREA 111 KS CEOS ae: on ae : if \) ud ROPA Sic DiaGRaM OF THE CIRCULATION OF THE YOLK-SACK AT THE END OF THE THIRD Day oF INCUBATION. H. heart. 4A. the second, third and fourth aortic arches ; the first has become obliterated in its median portion, but is continued at its proximal end as the external carotid, and at its distal end as the internal carotid. AQ. dorsal aorta. ZL. Of. A. left vitelline artery. R. Of. A. right vitelline artery. S. 7. sinus terminalis. JZ. Of. left vitelline vein. R. Of right vitelline vein. §&. V. sinus venosus. D. C. ductus Cuvieri. S&. Ca. V. superior cardinal or jugular vein. V. Ca. inferior cardinal vein. The veins are marked in 112 THE THIRD DAY. [CHAP. outline and the arteries are made black. The whole blasto- derm has been removed from the egg and is supposed to be viewed from below. Hence the left is seen on the right, and vice versd. the heart, the veins and arteries run not only parallel to each other, but almost in the same line, the points at which they respectively join and leave the body being nearly at the same distance from the head. The rest of the blood brought by the vitelline arteries finds its way into the lateral portions of the sinus terminalis, S.7., and there divides on each side into two streams. Of these, the two which, one on each side, flow backward, meet at a point about oppo- site to the tail of the embryo, and are conveyed along a distinct vein which, running straight forward parallel to the axis of the embryo, empties itself into the left vitel- line vein. The two forward streams reaching the gap in the front part of the sinus terminalis fall into either one, or in some cases two veins, which run straight backward parallel to the axis of the embryo, and so reach the roots of the heart. When one such vein only is present, it joins the left vitelline trunk; where there are two they join the left and right vitelline trunks respectively. The left vein is always considerably larger than the right; and the latter when present rapidly gets smaller and speedily disappears. The chief differences, then, between the peripheral circulation of the second and of the third day are due to the greater prominence of the sinus terminalis and the more complete arrangements for returning the blood from it to the heart. After this day, although the vas- cular area will go on increasing in size until it finally VI.] CHANGE OF POSITION OF THE EMBRYO. 113 all but encompasses the yolk, the prominence of the sinus terminalis will become less and less in proportion as the respiratory work of the vascular area is shifted on to the allantois, and its activities confined to absorb- ing nutritive matter from the yolk. The folding-in of the embryo makes great pro- gress during this day. Both head and tail have become most distinct, and the side folds which are to constitute the lateral walls have advanced so rapidly that the embryo is now a bond fide tubular sac, connected with the rest of the yolk by a broad stalk. This stalk, as was explained in Chap. II, is double, and consists of an inner splanchnic stalk continuous with the alimen- tary canal, which is now a tube closed at both ends and open to the stalk along its middle third only, and an outer somatic stalk continuous with the body-walls of the embryo, which have not closed nearly to the same extent as the walls of the alimentary canal. (Compare Fig. 9, 4 and B, which may be taken as diagrammatic representations of longitudinal and transverse sections of an embryo of this period.) The embryo is almost completely covered by the amnion. Early in this day the several amniotic folds will have met and completely coalesced along a line over the back of the embryo in the manner already explained in the last chapter. During this day a most remarkable change takes place in the position of the embryo. Up to this time it has been lying symmetrically upon the yolk with the part which will be its mouth directed straight downwards. It now turns round so as to lie on its left side. F. & B. . 8 114 THE THIRD DAY. (cHaP Fie. 37. CHIcK or THE THtrD Day (Firty-rour Hours) VIEWED FROM UNDERNEATH AS A TRANSPARENT OBJECT. a’. the outer amniotic fold or false amnion. This is very con- spicuous around the head, but may also be seen at the tail. a. the true amnion, very closely enveloping the head, and here seen only between the projections of the several cerebral vesicles.. It may also be traced at the tail. In the embryo of which this is a drawing, the head-fold of the amnion reached a little farther backward than the reference w, vi] GENERAL VIEW OF EMBRYO. 115 but its limit could not be distinctly seen through the body of the embryo. The prominence of the false amnion at the head is apt to puzzle the student; but if he bears in mind the fact, which could not well be shewn in Fig. 9, that the whole amniotic fold, both the true and the false limb, is tucked in underneath the head, the matter will on reflection become intelligible. C. H. cerebral hemisphere. /”. B. thalamencephalon or vesicle of the third ventricle. MU. B. mid-brain. H. B. hind-brain. Op. optic vesicle. Ot. otic vesicle. Of V. vitelline veins forming the venous roots of the heart. The trunk on the right hand (left trunk when the embryo is viewed in its natural position from: above) receives a large branch, shewn by dotted lines, coming from the anterior portion of the sinus terminalis. Hi. the heart, now completely twisted on itself. Ao. the bulbus arteriosus, the three aortic arches being dimly seen stretching from it across the throat, and uniting into the aorta, still more dimly seen as a curved dark line running along the body. The other curved dark line by its side, ending near the reference y, is the notochord ch. About opposite the line of reference x the aorta divides into two trunks, which, running in the line of the somewhat opaque mesoblastic somites on either side, are not clearly seen. Their branches however, Ofa, the vitelline arteries, are conspicuous and are seen to curve round the commencing side folds. Pv. mesoblastic somites. Below the level of the vitelline arteries the vertebral plates are but imperfectly cut up into meso- blastic somites, and lower down still, not at all. a is placed at the “point of divergence” of the splanchnopleure folds. The blind foregut begins here and extends about up to y. w# therefore marks the present hind limit of the splanchnopleure folds, The limit of the more transparent somatopleure folds is not shewn. 1t will be of course understood that all the body of the embryo above the level of the reference x, is seen through the portion of the yolk-sac (vascular and pellucid area), which has been removed 8—2 116 THE THIRD DAY. [CHAP, with the embryo from the egg, as well as through the double amniotic fold. We may repeat that, the view being from below, whatever is described in the natural position as being to the right here appears to be left, and vice versd. This important change of position at first affects only the head (Fig. 37), but subsequently extends also to the trunk. It is not usually completed till the fourth day. Atthe same time the left vitelline vein, the one on the side on which the embryo comes to lie, grows very much larger than the right, which henceforward gradu- ally dwindles and finally disappears. Coincidently with the change of position the whole embryo begins to be curved on itself in a slightly spiral manner. This curvature of the body becomes still more marked on the fourth day, Fig. 67. In the head very important changes take place. One of these is the cramal flexure, Figs. 37, 38. This (which must not be confounded with the curvature of the body just referred to) we have already seen was commenced in the course of the second day, by the bending downwards of the head round a point which may be considered as the extreme end either of the notochord or of the alimentary canal. The flexure progresses rapidly, the front-brain being more and more folded down till, at the end of the third day, it is no longer the first vesicle or fore-brain, but the second cerebral vesicle or mid-brain, which occupies the extreme front of the long axis of the embryo. In fact a straight line through the long axis of the embryo would now pass through the mid-brain instead of, as at the beginning of the second day, through the fore-brain, vi.] THE BRAIN, 117 so completely has the front end of the neural canal been folded over the end of the notochord. The com- mencement of this cranial flexure gives the body of an embryo of the third day somewhat the appearance of a retort, the head of the embryo corresponding to the bulb. On the fourth day the flexure is still greater than on the third, but on the fifth and succeeding days it becomes less obvious, owing to the filling up of the parts of the skull. The brain. The vesicle of the cerebral hemispheres, which on the second day began to grow out from the front of the fore-brain, increases rapidly in size during the third day, growing out laterally, so as to form two vesicles, so much so that by the end of the day it (Fig. 37, CH, Fig. 38) is as large or larger than the original vesicle from which it sprang, and forms the most con- spicuous part of the brain. In its growth it pushes aside the optic vesicles, and thus contributes largely to the roundness which the head is now acquiring. Hach lateral vesicle possesses a cavity, which afterwards becomes one of the lateral ventricles. These cavities are continuous behind with the cavity of the fore-brain. Owing to the development of the cerebral vesicle the original fore-brain no longer occupies the front position (Fig. 37, FB, Fig. 38, Ib), and ceases to be the con- spicuous object that it was. Inasmuch as its walls will hereafter be developed into the parts surrounding the so-called third ventricle of the brain, we shall hence- forward speak of it as the vesicle of the third ventricle, or thalamencephalon. On the summit of the thalamencephalon there may now be seen a small conical projection, the rudiment of 118 THE THIRD DAY. (CHAP. Fra, 38. Heap oF A OHICK OF THE THIRD Day VIEWED SIDEWAYS AS A TRANSPARENT OBJECT. (From Huxley.) Ta. the vesicle of the cerebral hemisphere. I. the vesicle of the third ventricle (the original fore-brain) ; at its summit is seen the projection of the pineal gland e. Below this portion of the brain is seen, in optical section, the optic vesicle a already involuted with its thick inner and thinner outer wall (the letter a is placed on the junction of the two, the primary cavity being almost obliterated). In the centre of the vesicle lies the lens, the shaded portion being the expression of its cavity. Below the lens between the two limbs of the horse- shoe is the choroidal fissure. II. the mid-brain. III. the hind-brain. V. the rudiments of the fifth cranial nerve, VII. of the seventh. Below the seventh nerve is seen the auditory vesicle 6. The head having been subjected to pressure, the vesicle appears somewhat distorted as if squeezed out of place. The orifice is not yet quite closed up. 1, the inferior maxillary process of the first visceral or man- dibular fold, Below, and to the right of this, is seen the first visceral cleft, below that again the second visceral fold (2), and lower down the third (3) and fourth (4) visceral folds. In front of the folds (¢.e. to’ the left) is seen the arterial end of the heart, the aortic arches being buried in their respective visceral folds. f. represents the mesoblast of the base of the brain and spinal cord. vi.] THE PITUITARY BODY. 119 the pineal gland (Fig. 38, e), while the centre of the floor is produced into a funnel-shaped process, the infun- dibulum (Fig. 39, In), which, stretching towards the Fie. 39. LonerrupinaL SECTION THROUGH THE BRAIN OF A YOUNG PRISTIURUS EMBRYO. cer, commencement of cerebral hemisphere; jn. pineal gland ; Zn. infundibulum ; pt. ingrowth of mouth to form the pituitary body; mb. mid-brain ; cb. cerebellum ; ch. noto- chord ; al. alimentary tract ; Jaa. artery of mandibular arch. extreme end of the oral invagination or stomodeum, joins a diverticulum of this which becomes the pituitary body. The development of the pituitary body or hypophysis cerebri has been the subject of considerable controversy amongst embryo- logists, and it is only within the last few years that its origin from the oral epithelium has been satisfactorily established. In the course of cranial flexure the epiblast on the under side of the head becomes tucked in between the blind end of the throat and the base of the brain. The part so tucked in constitutes a kind of bay, and forms the stomodeum or primitive buccal cavity already spoken of. The blind end of this bay becomes produced as a papilliform diverticulum which may be called the pituitary diverticulum. It is represented as it appears in a 120 THE THIRD DAY. (CHAP, lower vertebrate embryo (Elasmobranch) in Fig. 39, but is in all important respects exactly similar in the chick. Very shortly after the pituitary diverticulum becomes first established the boundary wall between the stomodeum and the throat becomes perforated, and the limits of the stomodeum obliterated, so that the pituitary diverticulum looks as if it had arisen from the hypoblast. During the third day of incubation the front part of the notochord becomes bent downward, and, ending in a somewhat enlarged extremity, comes in contact with the termination of the pituitary diverticulum. The mesoblast around increases and grows up, in front of the notochord and behind the vesicle of the third ventricle, to form the posterior clinoid process. The base of the vesicle of the third ventricle at the same time grows downwards towards the pituitary diverticulum, and forms what is known as the infundibulum. On the fourth day the mesoblastic tissue around the notochord increases in quantity, and the end of the notochord, though still bent downwards, recedes a little from the termination of the pituitary diverticulum, which is still a triangular space with a wide opening into the alimentary canal. On the fifth day, the opening of the pituitary diverticulum into the alimentary canal has become narrowed, and around the whole diverticulum an investment of mesoblast-cells has appeared. Behind it the clinoid process has become cartilaginous, while to the sides and in front it is enclosed by the trabecule. At this stage, in fact, we have a diverticulum from the alimentary canal passing through the base of skull to the infundibulum. On the seventh day the communication between the cavity of the diverticulum and that of the throat has become still narrower. The diverticulum is all but converted into a vesicle, and its epiblastic walls have commenced to send out into the mesoblastic investment solid processes. The infundibulum now appears as a narrow process from the base of the vesicle of the third ventricle, which approaches, but does not unite with, the pituitary vesicle. By the tenth day the opening of the pituitary vesicle into the throat becomes almost obliterated, and the lumen of the vesicle itself very much diminished. The body consists of anastomosing cords of epiblast-cells, the mesoblast between VI] THE PITUITARY BODY. 121 which has already commenced to become vascular. The cords or masses of epiblast cells are surrounded by a delicate mem- brana propria, and a few of them possess a small lumen. The infundibulum has increased in length. The relative positions of the pituitary body and infundibulum are shewn in the figure of the brain in Chapter vit. On the twelfth day the communication between the pituitary vesicle and the throat is entirely obliterated, but a solid cord of cells still connects the two. The vessels of the pia mater of the vesicle of the third ventricle have become connected with the pituitary body, and the infundibulum has grown down along its posterior border. In the later stages all connection is lost between the pituitary body and the throat, and the former becomes attached to the elongated processus infundibult. The real nature of the pituitary body is still extremely obscure, but it is not improbably the remnant of a glandular structure which may have opened into the mouth in primitive vertebrate forms, but which has ceased to have a function in existing vertebrates}. Beyond an increase in size, which it shares with nearly all parts of the embryo, and the change of position to which we have already referred, the mid- brain undergoes no great alteration during the third day. Its roof will ultimately become developed into the corpora bigemina or optic lobes, its floor will form the crura cerebri, and its cavity will be reduced to the narrow canal known as the ter a tertio ad quartum ventriculum. In the hind-brain, or third cerebral vesicle, that part which lies nearest to the mid-brain, is during ‘ 1 Wilhelm Miiller Ueber die Entwicklung und Bau der Hypophysis wnd des Processus Infundibuli Cerebri. Jenaische Zeitschrift, Bd. v1. 1871, and V. von Mihalkovics, Wirbelsaite u. Hirnanhang, Archiv f. mikr. Anat. Vol. x1. 1875. 122 THE THIRD DAY. [CHAP. the third day marked off from the rest by a slight constriction. This distinction, which becomes much more evident later on by a thickening of the walls and roof of the front portion, separates the hind-brain into the cerebellum in front, and the medulla oblongata behind (Figs. 38 and 39). While the walls of the cerebellar portion of the hind-brain become very much thickened as well at the roof as at the floor and sides, the roof of the posterior or medulla oblongata portion thins out into a mere membrane, forming a delicate covering to the cavity of the vesicle (Fig. 40, Iv), which here becoming broad and shallow with greatly thick- ened floor and sides, is known as the fourth ventricle, subsequently overhung by the largely developed pos- terior portion of the cerebellum. The third day, therefore, marks the differentiation of the brain into five distinct parts: the cerebral hemispheres, the central masses round the third ventricle, the corpora bigemina or optic lobes, the cerebellum and the medulla oblongata; the original cavity of the neural canal at the same time passing from its temporary division of three single cavities into the permanent arrangement of a series of connected ventricles, viz. the lateral ventricles, the third ventricle, the iter (with a prolongation into the optic lobe on each side), and the fourth ventricle. At the same time that the outward external shape of the brain is thus being moulded, internal changes are taking place in the whole neural canal. These are best seen in sections. At its first formation, the section of the cavity of the neural canal is round, or nearly so. VI.] THE CRANIAL AND SPINAL NERVES. 123 About this time, however, the lining of involuted epiblast along the length of the whole spinal cord becomes very much thickened at each side, while increasing but little at the mid-points above and below. The result of this is that the cavity as seen in section (Figs. 64 and 65), instead of being circular, has become a narrow vertical slit, almost completely filled in on each side. In the region of the brain the thickening of the lining epiblast follows a somewhat different course. While almost everywhere the sides and floor of the canal are greatly thickened, the roof in the region of the various ventricles, especially of the third and fourth, becomes excessively thin, so as to form a membrane reduced to almost a single layer of cells. (Fig. 40, Iv.) Cranial and spinal nerves. A most important event which takes place during the second and third days, is the formation of the cranial and spinal nerves. Till within a comparatively recent period embryologists were nearly unanimous in believing that the peripheral nerves originated from the mesoblast at the sides of the brain and spinal cord. This view has now however been definitely disproved, and it has been established that both the cranial and spinal nerves take their origin as outgrowths of the central nervous system. The cranial nerves are the first to be developed and arise before the complete closure of the neural groove. They are formed as paired outgrowths of a continuous band known as the neural band, composed of two laminz, which connects the dorsal edges of the incom- pletely closed neural canal with the external epiblast. This mode of development will best be understood by 124 THE THIRD DAY. [cHar. Fie. 40. AOA SECTION THROUGH THE HInD-BRAIN OF A CHICK AT THE END oF THE TurrD Day or INCUBATION. JV. Fourth ventricle. The section shews the very thin roof and thicker sides of the ventricle. Ch. Notochord—(diagrammatic shading). CY. Anterior cardinal or jugular vein. CC. Involuted auditory vesicle. CC points to the end which will form the cochlear canal. AZ. Recessus labyrinthi. hy. hypoblast lining the alimentary canal. fy is itself placed in the cavity of the alimentary canal, in that part of the canal which will become the throat. The ventral (anterior) wall of the canal is not shewn in the section, but on each side are seen portions of a pair of visceral arches. In each arch is seen the section of the aortic arch AOA belonging to the visceral arch. The vessel thus cut through is running upwards towards the head, being about to join the dorsal aorta AO, Had the section been nearer the head, and carried through the plane at which the aortic arch curves VL] THE CRANIAL AND SPINAL NERVES. 125 round the alimentary canal to reach the mesoblast above it, AOA and AO would have formed one continuous curved space. In sections lower down in the back the two aortex, AQ, one on each side, would be found fused into one median canal. an examination of Fig. 41, where the two roots of the vagus nerve (vg) are shewn growing out from the neural band. Shortly after this stage the neural band becomes separated from the external epiblast, and constitutes Fic. 41. TRANSVERSE SECTION THROUGH THE PosTERIOR PART OF THE Heap oF AN Empryo Cuick oF Turrty Hours. Ab. hind-brain; vg. vagus nerve; ep. epiblast; ch. notochord ; a. thickening of hypoblast (possibly a rudiment of the sub- notochordal rod) ; al. throat ; At. heart ; pp. body cavity ; so. somatic mesoblast ; sf splanchnic mesoblast ; hy. hypo- blast. 126 THE THIRD DAY. [CHAP. a crest attached to the roof of the brain, while its two laminz become fused. Anteriorly, the neural crest extends as far as the roof of the mid-brain. The pairs of nerves which undoubtedly grow out from it are the fifth pair, the seventh and auditory (as a single root), the glosso- pharyngeal and the various elements of the vagus (as a single root). After the roots of these nerves have become estab- lished, the crest connecting them becomes partially obliterated. The roots themselves grow centrifugally, and eventually give rise to the whole of each of the cranial nerves. Each complete root develops a gan- glionic enlargement near its base, and (with the ex- ception of the third nerve) is distributed to one of the visceral arches, of which we shall say more hereafter. The. primitive attachment of the nerves is to the roof of the brain, but in most instances this attachment is replaced by a secondary attachment to the sides or floor. The rudiments of four cranial nerves, of which two lie in front of and two behind the auditory vesicle, are easily seen during the third day at the sides of the hind-brain. They form a series of four small opaque masses, somewhat pearshaped, with the stalk directed away from the middle line. The most anterior of these is the rudiment of the fifth nerve (Figs. 42 and 67, V). Its narrowed outer portion or stalk divides imto two bands or nerves. Of these one passing towards the eye terminates at present in the immediate neighbourhood of that organ. The other branch (the rudiment of the inferior maxillary v1] THE CRANIAL NERVES. 127 Fie. 42. Heap oF an Empryo CHICK oF THE THIRD Day (SEVENTY- Five Hours) VIEWED SIDEWAYS AS A TRANSPARENT OBJECT. (From Huxley.) Za. cerebral hemispheres. 0. vesicle of the third ventricle. IT. mid-brain, III. hind-brain. g. nasal pit. w. optic vesicle. 6. otic vesicle. a. infundibulum. e. pineal body. A. noto- chord. V. fifth nerve. VII. seventh nerve. VIII. united glossopharyngeal and pneumogastric nerves. I, 2, 3, 4, 5 the five visceral folds. branch of tne fifth nerve) is distributed to the first visceral arch. The second mass (Figs. 42 and 67, VII) is the rudi- ment of the seventh, or facial nerve, and of the audi- tory nerve. It is the nerve of the second visceral arch. The two masses behind the auditory vesicle repre- sent the glossopharyngeal and pneumogastric nerves (Fig. 42, VIII, Fig. 67, G. Ph. and Pq.). At first united, they subsequently become separate. The glosso- pharyngeal supplies the third arch, and the pneumo- gastric the fourth and succeeding arches. The later development of the cranial nerves has only been partially worked out, and we will confine ourselves here to a very 128 THE THIRD DAY. [ CHAP. brief statement of some of the main results arrived at. The outgrowth for the vagus nerve supplies in the embryo the fourth and succeeding visceral arches, and from what we know of it in the lower vertebrate types, we may conclude that it is a compound nerve, composed of as many primitively distinct nerves as there are branches to the visceral arches. The glossopharyngeal nerve is the nerve supplying the third visceral arch, the homologue of the first branchial arch of Fishes. The development of the hypoglossal nerve is not known, but it is perhaps the anterior root of a spinal nerve. The spinal accessory nerve has still smaller claims than the hypoglossal to be regarded as a true cranial nerve. The primitively single root of the seventh auditory nerves divides almost at once into two branches. The anterior of these pursues a straight course to the hyoid arch and forms the rudiment of the facial nerve, Fig. 67, vil; the second of the two, which is the rudiment of the auditory nerve, develops a ganglionic enlargement, and, turning backwards, closely hugs the ventral wall of the auditory involution. The sixth nerve appears to arise later than the seventh nerve from the ventral part of the hind-brain, and has no ganglion near its root. Shortly after its development the root of the fifth nerve shifts so as to be attached about half-way down the side of the brain. A large ganglion is developed close to the root, which becomes the Gasserian ganglion. The main branch of the nerve grows into the mandibular arch (Fig. 67), maintaining towards it similar relations to those of the nerves behind it to their respective arches. An important branch becomes early developed which is directed straight towards the eye (Fig. 67), near which it meets and unites with the third nerve, where the ciliary ganglion is developed. This branch is usually called the ophthalmic branch of the fifth nerve, and may perhaps represent an inde- pendent nerve. Later than these two branches there is developed a third branch, passing the upper process of the first visceral arch. It forms the superior maxillary branch of the adult. Nothing is known with reference to the development of the fourth nerve. VI] THE SPINAL NERVES. 129 The history of the third nerve is still imperfectly known. There is developed early on the second day from the neural crest, on the roof of the mid-brain, an outgrowth on each side, very similar to the rudiment of the posterior nerves. This out- growth is believed by Marshall to be the third nerve, but it must be borne in mind that there is no direct evidence on the point, the fate of the outgrowth in question not having been satisfac- torily followed. At a very considerably later period a nerve may be found springing from the floor of the mid-brain, which is undoubtedly the third nerve. If identical with the outgrowth just spoken of, it must have shifted its attachment from the roof to the floor of the brain. The nerve when it springs from the floor of the brain runs directly backwards till it terminates in the ciliary ganglion, from which two branches to the eye-muscles are given off. [A. Marshall, ‘The development of the cranial nerves in the Chick.” Quart. Journal of Microscop. Science, Vol. xvut1.] In the case of the spinal nerves the posterior roots originate as outgrowths of a series of median processes of cells, which make their appearance on the dorsal side of the spinal cord. The outgrowths, symmetrically placed on each side, soon take a pyriform aspect, and apply themselves to the walls of the spinal cord. They are represented as they appear in birds in Fig. 43, sp. g., and as they appear in a lower vertebrate form in Fig. 44, The original attachment of the nerve-rudiment to the medullary wall is not permanent. It becomes, in fact, very soon either extremely delicate or absolutely interrupted. The nerve-rudiment now becomes divided into three parts, (1) a proximal rounded portion; (2) an enlarged middle portion, forming the rudiment of a ganglion ; (8) a distal portion, forming the commencement of the nerve. The proximal portion may very soon be observed to be F. & B. 9 130 THE THIRD DAY. [CHAP. Fie, 43, apg ane ror OO Sa THIN TRANSVERSE SECTION THROUGH THE TRUNK OF A Duck EMBRYO WITH ABOUT TWENTY-FOUR MESOBLASTIC SOMITES, am. amnion; so. somatopleure; sp. splanchnopleure ; wd. Wolffian duct ; st. segmental tube ; ca.v. cardinal vein; ms. muscle- plate ; sp.g. spinal ganglion; sp.c. spinal cord; ch. notochord ; ao. aorta ; hy. hypoblast. united with the side of the spinal cord at a very con- siderable distance from its original point of origin. It is moreover attached, not by its extremity, but by its side. The above points, which are much more easily studied in some of the lower vertebrate forms than in Birds, are illustrated by the subjoimed section of an Elasmobranch embryo, Fig. 45. VLJ THE SPINAL NERVES. 131 Fic, 44, TRANSVERSE SECTION THROUGH THE TRUNK OF A YOUNG EMBRYO oF a Doa-FisH. me. neural canal; pr. posterior root of spinal nerve; 2. sub- notochordal rod; ao. aorta; sc. somatic mesoblast; sp. splanchnic mesoblast ; mp. muscle-plate ; mp’. portion of muscle-plate converted into muscle; Vv. portion of the vertebral plate which will give rise to the vertebral bodies ; al. alimentary tract. It is extremely difficult to decide whether the per- manent attachment of the posterior nerve-roots to the spinal cord is entirely a new formation, or merely due to the shifting of the original point of attachment. We are inclined to adopt the former view. The origin of the anterior roots of the spinal nerves has not as yet been satisfactorily made out in Birds; but it appears probable that they grow from the ventral corner of the spinal cord, considerably later than the posterior roots, as a number of strands for each nerve, 9—2 132 THE THIRD DAY. [CHAP. ™p SECTION THROUGH THE DORSAL REGION OF AN EMBRYO Doc-FisH. pr. posterior root; sp.g. spinal ganglion; m. nerve; x. attach- ment of ganglion to spinal cord; ne. neural canal; mp. muscle-plate ; ch. notochord ; 7. investment of spinal cord. which subsequently join the posterior roots below the ganglia. The shape of the root of a completely formed spinal nerve, as it appears in an embryo of the fourth day, is represented in Fig. 68. The Eye. In the preceding chapter we saw how the first cerebral vesicle, by means of lateral outgrowths followed by constrictions, gave rise to the optic vesicles. These and the parts surrounding them undergo on the third day changes which result in the formation of the eyeball. At their first appearance the optic vesicles stand out at nearly right angles to the long axis of the embryo (Fig. 27), and the stalks which connect them VL] THE EYE. 133 with the fore-brain are short and wide. The con- strictions which give rise to the stalks take place chiefly from above downwards, and also somewhat inwards and backwards. Thus from the first the vesicles appear to spring from the under part of the fore-brain. These stalks soon become comparatively narrow, and constitute the rudiments of the optic nerves (Fig. 466). The constriction to which the stalk or optic Fie. 46. SECTION THROUGH THE HEAD OF AN EMBRYO TELEOSTEAN, T0 SHEW THE FORMATION OF THE OPTIC VESICLES, ETC. (From Gegenbaur ; after Schenk.) c. fore-brain; a. optic vesicle; }. stalk of optic vesicle; d. epidermis. nerve is due takes place obliquely downwards and backwards, so that the optic nerves open into the base of the front part of the thalamencephalon (Fig. 46 5). While these changes have been going on in the optic stalks, development has also proceeded in the region of the vesicles themselves, and given rise to the rudiments of the retina, lens, vitreous humour, and other parts of the eye. 134 THE THIRD DAY. (CHAP. { Towards the end of the second day the external or superficial epiblast which covers, and is in all but immediate contact with, the most projecting portion of the optic vesicle, becomes thickened. This thickened portion is then driven inwards in the form of a shallow open pit with thick walls (Fig. 47 A, 0), carrying before it the front wall (r) of the optic vesicle. To such an extent does this involution of the superficial epiblast take place, that the front wall of the optic vesicle is pushed close up to the hind wall, and the cavity of the vesicle becomes almost obliterated (Fig. 47, B). The bulb of the optic vesicle is thus converted into a cup with double walls, containing in its cavity the portion of involuted epiblast. This cup, in order to distinguish its cavity from that of the original optic vesicle, is generally called the secondary optic vesicle. We may, for the sake of brevity, speak of it as the optic cup; in reality it never is a vesicle, since it always remains widely open in front. Of its double walls the inner or anterior (Fig. 47 B, r) is formed from the front portion, the outer or posterior (Fig. 47 B, u) from the hind portion of the wall of the primary optic vesicle. The inner or anterior (r), which very speedily becomes thicker than the other, is converted into the retina; in the outer or posterior (wv), which remains thin, pigment is eventually deposited, and it ultimately becomes the tesselated pigment-layer of the choroid. By the closure of its mouth the pit of involuted epiblast becomes a completely closed sac with thick walls and a small central cavity (Fig. 47 B, 1). At the same time it breaks away from the external epi- VI.) THE EYE. 135 Fia. 47. DiagRaMMaTic SECTIONS ILLUSTRATING THE FORMATION OF THE Ey. (After Remak.) In A, the thin superficial epiblast A is seen to be thickened at 2, in front of the optic vesicle, and involuted so as to form a pit 0, the mouth of which has already begun to close in. Owing to this involution, which forms the rudiment of the lens, the optic vesicle is doubled in, its front portion r being pushed against the back portion w, and the original cavity of the vesicle thus reduced in size. The stalk of the vesicle is shewn as still broad. In B, the optic Vesicle is still further doubled in so as to form a cup with a posterior wall « and an anterior wall r. In the hollow of this cup lies the lens 7, now completely detached from the superficial epiblast 2 Its cavity is still shewn. The cavity of the stalk of the optic vesicle is already much narrowed. blast, which forms a continuous layer in front of it, all traces of the original opening being lost. There is thus left lying in the cup of the secondary optic vesicle, an isolated elliptical mass of epiblast. This is the rudiment of the lens. The small cavity within it speedily becomes still less by the thickening of the walls, especially of the hinder one. At its first appearance the lens is in immediate contact with the anterior wall of the secondary optic vesicle (Fig. 47 B). In a short time, however, the lens 136 THE THIRD DAY. [CHAP. is seen to lie in the mouth of the cup (Fig. 50 A), a space (vh) (which is occupied by the vitreous humour) making its appearance between the lens and anterior wall of the vesicle. In order to understand how this space is developed, the position of the optic vesicle and the relations of its stalk must be borne in mind. The vesicle lies at the side of the head, and its stalk is directed downwards, inwards and backwards. The stalk in fact slants away from the vesicle. Hence when the involution of the lens takes place, the direc- tion in which the front wall of the vesicle is pushed in is not in a line with the axis of the stalk, as for simplicity’s sake has been represented in the diagram Fig. 47, but forms an obtuse angle with that axis, after the manner of Fig. 48, where s’ represents the cavity Fic. 48. DracRAMMATIC SECTION OF THE EYE AND THE Optic NERVE AT AN EARLY staGE (from Lieberktihn), to shew the lens 2 occupying the whole hollow of the optic cup, the inclination of the stalk s to the optic cup, and the continuity of the cavity of the stalk s’ with that of the primary vesicle ¢; 7, anterior, « posterior wall of the optic cup. vi] THE EYE, 137 of the stalk leading away from the almost obliterated cavity of the primary vesicle. Fig. 48 represents the early stage at which the lens fills the whole cup of the secondary vesicle. The subsequent state of affairs is brought about through the growth of the walls of the cup taking place more rapidly than that of the lens. But this growth or this dilatation does not take place equally in all parts of the cup. The walls of the cup rise up all round except that part of the circumference of the cup which adjoins the stalk. While elsewhere the walls increase rapidly in height, carrying so to speak the lens with them, at this spot, which in the natural position of the eye is on its under surface, there is no growth: the wall is here imperfect, and a gap is left. Through this gap, which afterwards receives the name of the cho- roidal fissure, a way is open from the mesoblastic tissue surrounding the optic vesicle and stalk into the interior of the cavity of the cup. From the manner of its formation the gap or fissure is evidently in a line with the axis of the optic stalk, and in order to be seen must be looked for on the under surface of the optic vesicle. In this position it is readily recognized in the transparent embryo of the third day, Figs. 37 and 48, Bearing in mind these relations of the gap to the optic stalk, the reader will understand how sections of the optic vesicle at this stage present very different appearances according to the plane in which the sections are taken. When the head of the chick is viewed from under- neath as a transparent object the eye presents very 138 THE THIRD DAY. [CHAP. much the appearance represented in the diagram Fig. 49. A section of such an eye taken along the line y, perpendicular to the plane of the paper, would give a figure corresponding to that of Fig. 50 A. The lens, the cavity and double walls of the secondary vesicle, and the remains of the primary cavity, would all be repre- Fie. 49. Diagrammatic REPRESENTATION OF THE EYE OF THE CHICK OF ABOUT THE THIRD Day AS SEEN WHEN THE HEAD IS VIEWED FROM UNDERNEATH AS A TRANSPARENT OBJECT. Z the lens, /’ the cavity of the lens, lying in the hollow of the optic cup. r the anterior, wu the posterior wall of the optic cup, ¢ the cavity of the primary optic vesicle, now nearly obliterated. By inadvertence u has been drawn thicker than 7, it should have been thinner throughout. s the stalk of the optic cup with s' its cavity, at a lower level than the cup itself and therefore out of focus ; the dotted line indicates the continuity of the cavity of the stalk with that of the primary vesicle. The line z, 2, through which the section shewn in Fig. 50 C is supposed to be taken, passes through the choroidal fissure. v1.] THE EYE. 139 Diagrammatic section taken perpendicular to the plane of the paper, along the line y, y, Fig. 49. The stalk is not seen, the section falling quite out of its region. vh, hollow of optic cup filled with vitreous humour ; other letters as in Fig. 47 B. Section taken parallel to the plane of paper through Fig. 49, so far behind the front surface of the eye as to shave off a small portion of the posterior surface of the lens /, but so far in front as not to be carried at all through the stalk. Letters as before ; f, the choroidal fissure. Section along the line z, z, perpendicular to the plane of the paper, to shew the choroidal fissure f, and the continuity of the cavity of the optic stalk with that of the primary optic vesicle. Had this section been taken a little to either side of the line z, z, the wall of the optic cup would have extended up to the lens below as well as above. Letters as above. sented (the superficial epiblast of the head would also be shewn); but there would be nothing seen of either the stalk or the fissure. If on the other hand the section were taken in a plane parallel to the plane of the paper, at some distance above the level of the stalk, some such figure would be gained as that shewn in Fig.50 B. Here the fissure f is obvious, and the communication of the cavity vh of the secondary vesicle with the outside of the eye evident; the section of course would not go through the superficial epiblast. 140 THE THIRD DAY. [CHAP, Lastly, a section, taken perpendicular to the plane of the paper along the line z, 7.e. through the fissure itself, would present the appearances of Fig. 50 C, where the wall of the vesicle is entirely wanting in the region of the fissure marked by the position of the letter f. The external epiblast has been omitted in the figure. The fissure such as we have described it exists for a short time only. Its lips come into contact, and unite (in the neighbourhood of the lens, directly, but in the neighbourhood of the stalk, by the intervention of a structure which we shall describe presently), and thus the cup-like cavity of the secondary optic vesicle is furnished with a complete wall all round. The interior of the cavity is filled by the vitreous humour, a clear fluid in which are a few scattered cells. With reference to the above description, two points require to be noticed. Firstly it is extremely doubtful whether the invagination of the secondary optic vesicle is to be viewed as an actual mechanical result of the ingrowth of the lens. Secondly it seems probable that the choroid fissure is not simply due to a deficiency in the growth of part of the walls of the secondary optic cup, but is partly due to a more complicated inequality of growth resulting in a doubling up of the primary vesicle from the side along the line of the fissure, at the same time that the lens is being thrust in in front. In Mammalia, the doubling up involves the optic stalk, which becomes flattened (whereby its original cavity is obliterated) and then folded in on itself, so as to embrace a new central cavity continuous with the cavity of the vitreous humour. During the changes in the optic vesicle just de- scribed, the surrounding mesoblast takes on the cha- racters of a distinct investment, whereby the outline of v1] THE EYE. 141 the eyeball is definitely formed. The internal portions of this investment, nearest to the retina, become the choroid (.e. the chorto-capillaris, and the lamina fusca, the pigment epithelium, as we have seen, being derived from the epiblastic optic cup), and pigment is subsequently deposited in it. The remaining external portion of the investment forms the sclerotic. The complete differentiation of these two coats of the eye does not however take place till a late period. In front of the optic cup the mesoblastic invest- ment grows forwards, between the lens and the super- ficial epiblast, and so gives rise to the substance of the cornea; the epiblast supplying only the anterior epithelium. We may now proceed to give some further details with reference to the histological differentiation of the parts, whose general development has been dealt with in the preceding pages. The histological condition of the eye in its earliest stages is very simple. Both the epiblast forming the walls of the optic vesicle, and the superficial layer which is thickened to become the lens, are composed of simple columnar cells. The surrounding mesoblast is made up of cells whose protoplasm is more or less branched and irregular. These simple elements are gradually modified into the complicated tissues of the adult eye, the changes undergone being most marked in the cases of the retina, the optic nerve, and the lens with its appendages. The optic vesicle. We left the original cavity of the primary optic vesicle as a nearly obliterated space 142 THE THIRD DAY. [ CHAP. between the two walls of the optic cup. By the end of the third day the obliteration is complete, and the two walls are in immediate contact. The inner or anterior wall is, from the first, thicker than the outer or posterior; and over the greater part of the cup this contrast increases with the growth of the eye, the anterior wall becoming markedly thicker and undergoing changes of which we shall have to speak directly (Fig. 51). In the front portion however, along, so to speak, the lip of the cup, anterior to a line which afterwards be- comes the ora serrata, both layers not only cease to take part in the increased thickening, accompanied by peculiar histological changes, which the rest of the cup is undergoing, but also completely coalesce together.- Thus a hind portion or true retina is marked off from a front portion. The front portion, accompanied by the choroid which immediately overlays it, is, behind the lens, thrown into folds, the ciliary ridges; while further for- ward it bends in between the lens and the cornea to form the iris. The original wide opening of the optic cup is thus narrowed to a smaller orifice, the pupil; and the lens, which before lay in the open mouth, is now inclosed in the cavity of the cup. While in the hind portion of the cup, or retina proper, no deposit of black pigment takes place in the layer formed out of the inner or anterior wall of the vesicle, in the front portion we are speaking of, pigment is largely deposited throughout both layers, so that eventually this portion seems to become nothing more than a forward pro- longation of the pigment-epithelium of the choroid. Vi.| THE OPTIC VESICLE, 143 Fie. 51. SEcTIoN oF THE Eye oF CHICK aT THE FourtH Day. ep. superficial epiblast of the side of the head. &. true retina: anterior wall of the optic cup. p. Ch. pigment- epithelium of the choroid: posterior wall of the optic cup. 6 is placed at the extreme lip of the optic cup at what will become the margin of the iris. . the lens. The hind wall, the nuclei of whose elongated cells are shewn at nl, now forms nearly the whole mass of the lens, the front wall being reduced to a layer of flattened cells ed. m. the mesoblast surrounding the optic cup and about to form the choroid and sclerotic. It is seen to pass forward between the lip of the optic cup and the superficial epiblast. 144 THE THIRD DAY. [CHAP. Filling up a large part of the hollow of the optic cup is seen a hyaline mass forming the hyaloid membrane and the coagulum of the vitreous humour. In the neighbourhood of the lens it seems to be continuous as at cl with the tissue a, which in turn is continuous with the mesoblast m, and appears to be the rudiment of the capsule of the lens and suspensory ligament. Thus while the hind moiety of the optic cup be- comes the retina proper, including the choroid-pigment in which the rods and cones are imbedded, the front moiety is converted into the ciliary portion of the retina, covering the ciliary processes, and into the uvea of the iris; the bodies of the ciliary processes and the substance of the iris, their vessels, muscles, connective tissue and ramified pigment, being derived from the mesoblastic choroid. The margin of the pupil marks the extreme lip of the optic vesicle, where the outer or posterior wall turns round to join the inner or anterior. The ciliary muscle and the ligamentum pectinatum are both derived from the mesoblast between the cornea and the iris. The retina. At first, as we have said, the two walls of the optic cup do not greatly differ in thickness. On the third day the outer or posterio. becomes much thinner than the inner or anterior, and by the middle of the fourth day is reduced to a single layer of flat- tened cells (Fig. 51, p. Ch.). At about the 80th hour its cells commence to receive a deposit of pigment, and eventually form the so-called pigmentary epithelium of the choroid; from them no part of the true retina (or no other part of the retina, if the pigment-layer in question be supposed to belong more truly to the retina than to the choroid) is derived. vi] THE RETINA. 145 On the fourth day, the inner (anterior) wall of the optic cup (Fig. 51, #) is perfectly uniform in structure, being composed of elongated somewhat spindle-shaped cells, with distinct nuclei. On its external (posterior) surface a distinct cuticular membrane, the membrana limitans externa, early appears. As the wall increases in thickness, its cells multiply rapidly, so that it soon appears to be several cells thick : each cell being however probably continued through the whole thickness of the layer. The wall at this stage corresponds closely in its structure with the brain, of which it may properly be looked upon as part. Ac- cording to the usual view, which is not however fully supported by recent observations, the retina becomes divided in its subsequent growth into (1) an outer part, corresponding morphologically to the epithelial lming of the cerebro-spinal canal, composed of what may be called the visual cells of the eye, 7.¢. the cells forming the outer granular (nuclear) layer and the rods and cones attached to them; and (2) an inner portion consisting of the inner granular (nuclear) layer, the inner molecular layer, the ganglionic layer and the layer of nerve-fibres corresponding morphologically to the substance of the brain and spinal cord. The actual development of the retina is not thoroughly understood. According to the usual statements (Kélliker) the layer of ganglion cells and the inner molecular layer are first differentiated, while the remaining cells give rise to the rest of the retina proper, and are bounded externally by the membrana limitans externa. On the inner side of the ganglionic layer the stratum of nerve-fibres is also very early established. The rods 1 Entwick. d. Menschen, etc., 1879. F. &B, 10 146 THE THIRD DAY. [ CHAP. and cones are formed as prolongations or cuticularizations of the cells which eventually form the outer granular layer. The layer of cells external to the molecular layer is not divided till comparatively late into the inner and outer granular (nuclear) layers, and the interposed outer molecular layer. Lowe? has recently written an elaborate paper on this subject in which he arrives at very different results from Kélliker and other observers. According to him only the outer limbs of the rods and cones, which he holds to be metamorphosed cells, correspond to the epithelial layer of the brain. The changes described above are confined to that portion of the retina which lies behind the ora serrata. In front of this both walls of the cup coalesce as we have said into a cellular layer in which a deposit of pigment takes place. At a very early period a membrane appears on the side of the retina adjoining the vitreous humour. This membrane is the hyaloid membrane. It is formed at a time when there is no trace of mesoblastic structures in the cavity of the vitreous humour, and must therefore be regarded as a cuticular deposit of the cells of the optic cup. The optic nerve. The optic nerves are derived, as we have said, from the at first hollow stalks of the optic vesicles. ‘Their cavities gradually become oblite- rated by a thickening of the walls, the obliteration proceeding from the retinal end inwards towards the brain. While the proximal ends of the optic stalks are still hollow, the rudiments of the optic chiasma are formed at the roots of the stalks, the fibres of the one stalk growing over into the attachment of the other. The decussation of the fibres would appear 1 Archiv fiir mikr. Anat. Vol. xv. v1.] THE CHOROID FISSURE. 147 to be complete. The fibres arise in the remainder of the nerves somewhat later. At first the optic nerve is equally continuous with both walls of the optic cup; as must of necessity be the case, since the interval which primarily exists between the two walls is con- tinuous with the cavity of the stalk. When the cavity within the optic nerve vanishes, and the fibres of the optic nerve appear, all connection between the outer wall of the optic cup and the optic nerve disappears, and the optic nerve simply perforates the outer wall, remaining continuous with the inner one. The choroid fissure, During the third day of incu- bation there passes in through the choroid slit a vas- cular loop, which no doubt supplies the transuded material for the growth of the vitreous humour. Up to the fifth day this vascular loop is the only structure passing through the choroid slit. On this day however a new structure appears, which remains permanently through life, and is known as the pecten. It consists of a lamellar process of the mesoblast cells round the eye, passing through the choroid slit near the optic nerve, and enveloping part of the afferent branch of the vascular loop above mentioned. The proximal part of the free edge of the pecten is somewhat swollen, and sections through this part have a club-shaped form. On the sixth day the choroid slit becomes rapidly closed, so that at the end of the sixth day it is reduced to a mere seam. There are however two parts of this seam where the edges of the optic cup have not coalesced. The proximal of these adjoins the optic nerve, and permits the passage of the pecten, and at a later period of the optic nerve; and the second or distal 10—2 148 THE THIRD DAY. [CHAP. one is placed near the ciliary edge of the slit, and is traversed by the efferent branch of the above-men- tioned vascular loop. This vessel soon atrophies, and with it the distal opening in the choroid slit completely vanishes. In some varieties of domestic Fowl (Lieber- kihn) the opening however persists. The seam which marks the original site of the choroid slit is at first con- spicuous by the absence of pigment, and at a later period by the deep colour of its pigment. Finally, a little after the ninth day, no trace of it is to be seen. Up to the eighth day the pecten remains as a simple lamina; by the tenth or twelfth day it begins to be folded or rather puckered, and by the seventeenth or eighteenth day it is richly pigmented, and the pucker- ings have become nearly as numerous as in the adult, there being in all seventeen or eighteen. The pecten is now almost entirely composed of vascular coils, which are supported by a sparse pigmented connective tissue ; and in the adult the pecten is still extremely vascular. The original artery which became enveloped at the formation of the pecten continues, when the latter be- comes vascular, to supply it with blood. The vein is practically a fresh development after the atrophy of the distal portion of the primitive vascular loop of the vitreous humour. There are no true retinal blood-vessels. The permanent opening in the choroid fissure for the pecten is intimately related to the entrance of the optic nerve into the eyeball; the fibres of the optic nerve passing in at the inner border of the pecten, coursing along its sides to its outer border, and radi- vi.| THE LENS. 149 ating from it as from a centre to all parts of the retina. The lens, This when first formed is somewhat elliptical in section with a small central cavity of a similar shape, the front and hind walls being of nearly equal thickness, each consisting of a single layer of elongated columnar cells. In the subsequent growth of the lens, the develop- ment of the hind wall is of a precisely opposite cha- racter to that of the front wall. The hind wall becomes much thicker, and tends to obliterate the central cavity by becoming convex on its front surface. At the same time its cells, still remaining as a single layer, become elongated and fibre-like. The front wall on the con- trary becomes thinner and thinner and its cells more and more flattened and pavement-like. These modes of growth continue until at the end of the fourth day, as shewn in Fig. 51, the convex hind wall 7 comes into absolute contact with the front wall el and the cavity is thus entirely obliterated. The cells of the hind wall have by this time become veritable fibres, which, when seen in section, appear to be arranged nearly parallel to the optic axis, their nuclei nl being seen in arow along their middle. The front wall, some- what thickened at either side where it becomes continu- ous with the hind wall, is now a single layer of flattened cells separating the hind wall of the lens, or as we may now say the lens itself, from the front limb of the lens-capsule ; of this it becomes the epithelium. The subsequent changes undergone consist chiefly in the continued elongation and multiplication of the lens- fibres, with the partial disappearance of their nuclei. 150 THE THIRD DAY. [CHAP, During their multiplication they become arranged in the manner characteristic of the adult lens. The lens capsule is probably formed as a cuticular membrane deposited by the epithelial cells of the lens. But it should be stated that many embryologists regard it as a product of the mesoblast. The vitreous humour, The vitreous humour is a mesoblastic product, entering the cavity of the optic cup by the choroid slit just spoken of. It is nourished by the vascular ingrowths through the choroid slit. Its exact nature has been much disputed. It arises as a kind of transudation, but frequently however contains blood-corpuscles and embryonic mesoblastic cells. It is therefore intermediate in its character between or- dinary intercellular substance, and the fluids contained in serous cavities. The integral parts of the eye in front of the lens are the cornea, the aqueous humour, and the iris, The development of the latter has already been sufficiently described in connection with the retina, and there re- main to be dealt with the cornea, and the cavity con- taining the aqueous humour. The cornea. The cornea is formed by the coales- cence of two structures, viz. the epithelium of the cornea and the cornea proper. The former is directly derived from the external epiblast, which covers the eye after the invagination of the lens. The latter is formed in a somewhat remarkable manner, first clearly made out by Kessler. When the lens is completely separated from the epi- dermis the central part of its outer wall remains directly vi] THE CORNEA. 151 in contact with the epidermis (future corneal epithelium). At its edge there is a small ring-shaped space bounded by the outer skin, the lens and the edge of the optic cup. There appears, at about the time when the cavity of the lens is completely obliterated, a structureless layer external to the above ring-like space and immediately adjoining the inner face of the epidermis. This layer, which forms the commencement of the cornea proper, at first only forms a ring at the border of the lens, thickest at its outer edge, and gradually thinning away towards the centre. It soon however becomes broader, and finally forms a continuous stratum of con- siderable thickness, interposed between the external skin and the lens. As soon as this stratum has reached a certain thickness, a layer of flattened cells grows in along its inner side from the mesoblast sur- rounding the optic cup (Fig. 52,dm). This layer is the epithelioid layer of the membrane of Descemet’. After it has become completely established, the meso- blast around the edge of the cornea becomes divided into two strata; an inner one (Fig. 52 cb) destined to form the mesoblastic tissue of the iris already described, and an outer one (Fig. 52 cc) adjoining the epidermis. The outer stratum gives rise to the corneal corpuscles, which are the only constituents of the cornea not yet developed. ‘The corneal corpuscles make their way 1 It appears possible that Lieberkiihn may be right in stating that the epithelium of Descemet’s membrane grows in between the lens and the epiblast before the formation of the cornea proper, and that Kessler’s account, given above, may on this point require correc- tion. From the structure of the eye in some of the lower forms it seems probable that Descemet’s membrane is continuous with the choroid. 152 : THE THIRD DAY. [CHAP. Fie. 52. SECTION THROUGH THE EYE OF A FOWL ON THE EIGHTH DAY OF DEVELOPMENT, TO SHEW THE IRIS AND CORNEA IN THE PROCESS OF FORMATION. (After Kessler.) ep. epiblastic epithelium of cornea ; ec. corneal corpuscles growing into the structureless matrix of the cornea; dm. Descemet’s membrane; 77. iris; cb. mesoblast of the iris (this reference letter points a little too high). The space between the layers dm. and ep. is filled with the structureless matrix of the cornea. through the structureless corneal layer, and divide it into two strata, one adjoining the epiblast, and the other adjoining the inner epithelium. The two strata become gradually thinner as the corpuscles invade a larger and larger portion of their substance, and finally the outermost portion of each alone remains to form above and below the membrana elastica anterior and posterior (Descemet’s membrane) of the cornea. The corneal corpuscles, which have grown in from the sides, thus form a layer which becomes continually thicker, and gives rise to the main substance of the cornea. Whether the increase in the thickness of the layer is due to the immigration of fresh corpuscles, or to the division of those already there, is not clear. After the VL] THE AQUEOUS HUMOUR. 158 cellular elements have made their way into the cornea, the latter becomes continuous at its edge with the meso- blast which forms the sclerotic. The derivation of the original structureless layer of the cornea is still uncertain. Kessler derives it from the epiblast, but it appears more probable that Koélliker! is right in regarding it as derived from the mesoblast. The grounds for this view are, (1) the fact of its growth inwards from the border of the meso- blast round the edge of the eye, (2) the peculiar relations between it and the corneal corpuscles at a later period. This view would receive still further support if a layer of mesoblast between the lens and the epiblast were really present as believed by Lieber- kiihn, It must however be admitted that the objections to Kessler’s view of its epiblastic nature are rather @ priori than founded on definite observation. The observations of Kessler, which have been mainly followed in the above account, are strongly opposed by Lieberkiihn and other observers, and are not entirely accepted by Kdlliker. It is however especially on the development of these parts in Mam- malia (to be spoken of in the sequel) that the above authors found their objections. The aqueous humour. The cavity for the aqueous humour has its origin in the ring-shaped space round the front of the lens, which, as already mentioned, is bounded by the external skin, the edge of the optic cup, and the lens. By the formation of the cornea this space is shut off from the external skin, and on the appearance of the epithelioid layer of Descemet’s membrane a continuous cavity is developed between the cornea and the lens. This cavity enlarges and 1 L, Kessler, Zur Entwick. d. Auges d. Wirbelthiere. Leipzig, 1874. N. Lieberkiihn, “ Beitriige z. Anat. d. embryonalen Auges,” Archiv f. Anat. u. Phys., 1879. Kélliker, Entwick. d. Menschen, etc. Leipzig, 1879. 154 THE THIRD DAY. [CHAP. receives its final form upon the full development of the iris. Summary. We may briefly recapitulate the main facts in the development of the eye as follows. The eye commences as a lateral outgrowth of the fore-brain, in the form of a stalked vesicle. The stalk, becoming narrowed and subsequently solid, is converted into the optic nerve. An involution of the superficial epiblast over the front of the optic vesicle, in the form first of a pit, then of a closed sac with thick walls, and lastly, of a solid rounded mass (the small central cavity being entirely obliterated by the thickening of the hind wall), gives rise to the lens, Coincidently with this involution of the lens, the optic vesicle is doubled up on itself, and its cavity obliterated; thus a secondary optic vesicle or optic cup with a thick anterior and a thin posterior wall is produced. Asa result of the manner in which the doubling up takes place, or of the mode of growth afterwards, the cup of the secondary optic vesicle is at first imperfect along its under surface, where a gap, the choroidal fissure, exists for some little time, but subse- quently closes up. The mesoblast in which the eye is imbedded gathers itself together around the optic cup into a distinct in- vestment, of which the internal layers become the choroid, the external the sclerotic. An ingrowth of this investment between the front surface of the lens and the superficial epiblast furnishes the body of the cornea, the epiblast itself remaining as the anterior corneal epithelium. The mesoblast entering on the under side through V1] THE LACRYMAL DUCT. 155 the choroidal fissure gives rise to the vitreous humour, while at a later stage a definite process of this meso- blast becomes the pecten. Of the walls of the optic cup, the thinner outer (posterior) wall becomes, behind the line of the ora serrata, the pigment-epithelium of the choroid, while the thicker inner (anterior) wall supplies all the ele- ments of the retina, including the rods and cones which grow out from it into the pigment-epithelium. In front of the line of the ora serrata, both walls of the optic cup, quite thin and wholly fused together, give rise to the pigment-epithelium of the ciliary processes and iris, the bodies of both these organs being formed from the mesoblastic investment. Accessory Organs connected with the Eye. Eyelids. The most important accessory structures connected with the eye are the eyelids. They are developed as simple folds of the integument with a mesoblastic prolongation between their two laminz. They are three in number, viz. an upper and lower, and a lateral one—the nictitating membrane—springing from the inner or anterior border of the eye. Their inner face is lined by a prolongation of conjunctiva, which is the modified epiblast covering the cornea and part of the sclerotic. The Lacrymal glands and Lacrymal duct. The lacrymal glands are formed as solid ingrowths of the conjunctival epithelium. They appear on the eighth day of incubation. The lacrymal duct begins as a solid ridge of the epidermis, projecting inwards along the line of the so-called lacrymal groove, from the eye to the nasal pit. At the end of the sixth day this ridge begins to be separated from the epidermis, remaining however united with it on the inner side of the lower eyelid. 156 THE THIRD DAY. [CHAP, After it has become free, it forms a solid cord, the lower end of which unites with the wall of the nasal cavity. The cord so formed gives rise directly to the whole of the duct proper and to the lower branch of the collecting tube. The upper branch of the collecting tube is formed as an outgrowth from it. A lumen begins to be formed in it on the twelfth day of incubation, and first appears at the nasal end. It arises as a space amongst the cells of the cord, but is not due to an absorption of the central cells}. Organ of hearing. During the second day the ear first made its appearance on either side of the hind- brain as an involution of the external epiblast, thrust down into the mass of mesoblast rapidly developing between the epiblast of the skin and that of the neural Fia. 53. wy Pp SECTION THROUGH THE HEap oF aN ELasmMoBRANCcH Embryo, AT THE LeveL or tHE AuDITORY INVOLUTION. aup. auditory pit; aun. ganglion of auditory nerve; zv.v. roof of fourth ventricle ; a.c.v. anterior cardinal vein; aa. aorta; 1G. Born: ‘‘Die Nasenhéhlen u. Thrinennasengang d. amnioten Wirbelthiere, 1, Lacertilia 1. Aves.” Morphologisches Jahrbuch, Vol. v., 1879. VI.] THE EAR. 157 d.aa. aortic trunk of mandibular arch ; pp. head cavity of mandibular arch ; Jve. alimentary pouch which will form the first visceral cleft ; 7h. rudiment of thyroid body. canal (Fig. 27, au. p.). It then had the form of a shallow pit with a widely open mouth, similar in form to that shewn for an embryo dog-fish in Fig. 53, au. p. Before the end of the third day, its mouth closes up and all signs of the opening are obliterated. The pit thus becomes converted into a closed vesicle, lined with fepiblast, and surrounded by mesoblast. This vesicle is the otic vesicle, whose cavity rapidly enlarges while its walls become thickened (Fig. 54, CC). Fie, 54. AOA SEcTION THROUGH THE HinD-BRAIN OF A CHICK AT THE END oF THE THIRD Day or INCUBATION. IV. Fourth ventricle. The section shews the very thin roof and thicker sides of the ventricle. 158 THE THIRD DAY. [cHaP. Ch. Notochord—(diagrammatic shading). CV. Anterior cardinal or jugular vein. CC. Involuted auditory vesicle. CC points to the end which will form the cochlear canal. AZ. Recessus labyrinthi. hy. hypoblast lining the alimentary canal. hy is itself placed in the cavity of the alimentary canal, in that part of the canal which will become the throat. The lower (anterior) wall of the canal is not shewn in the section, but on each side are seen portions of a pair of visceral arches. In each arch is seen the section of the aortic arch AOA belonging to the visceral arch. The vessel thus cut through is running upwards towards the head, being about to join the dorsal aorta AO. Had the section been nearer the head, and carried through the plane at which the aortic arch curves round the alimentary canal to reach the mesoblast above it, AOA and AO would have formed one continuous curved space. In sections lower down in the back the two aorta, AO, one on either side, would be found fused into one median canal. The changes by which this simple otic vesicle is converted into the complicated system of parts known as the internal ear, have been much more completely worked out for Mammals than for Birds. We shall therefore reserve a full account of them for a later portion of this work. Meanwhile a brief statement of the essential nature of the changes may be useful; and will be most conveniently introduced here. The internal ear consists essentially of an inner membranous labyrinth lying loosely in and only partially attached to an outer osseous labyrinth. The membranous labyrinth (Fig. 55) consists of two _ parts: (1) the vestibule, with which are connected three pairs of semicircular canals, pag’, fr’, hor’, and a long narrow hollow process, the aqueductus or recessus vesti- vI.] THE EAR. 159 A. Fig. 55. B. Two VIEWS OF THE MEMBRANOUS LABYRINTH OF COLUMBA Domestica (copied from Hasse). A, from the exterior, B, from the interior. hor’. horizontal semicircular canal, hor. ampulla of ditto, pag’. pos- terior vertical semicircular canal, pag. ampulla of ditto, jr’. anterior vertical semicircular canal, fr. ampulla of ditto, u. utriculus, rw. recessus utriculi, v. the connecting tube between the ampulla of the anterior vertical semicircular canal and the utriculus, de. ductus endolymphaticus (recessus vestibuli), s. sacculus hemisphericus, er. canalis reuniens, lag. lagena, mr. membrane of Reissner, »b. Basilar membrane. buli, and (2) the ductus cochlearis, which in birds is a flask-shaped cavity slightly bent on itself, the dilated end of which is called the lagena. The several parts of each of these cavities freely communicate, and the two are joined together by a narrow canal, the canalis re- uniens, cr. The osseous labyrinth has a corresponding form, and may be similarly divided into parts: into a bony vestibule, with its bony semicircular canals and recessus 160 THE THIRD DAY. [CHAP. vestibuli, and into a bony cochlea; but the junction between the cochlea and the bony vestibule is much wider than the membranous canalis reuniens. The cavity of the osseous cochlea is partially divided lengthways by the ductus cochlearis into a scala tym- pani and a scala vestibuli, which do not however extend to the lagena. The auditory nerve, piercing the osseous labyrinth in various points, is distributed in the walls of the mem- branous labyrinth. All these complicated structures are derived from the simple primary otic vesicle and the surrounding mesoblast by changes in its form and differentiation of its walls. All the epiblast of the vesicle goes to form the epithelium of the membranous labyrinth, whose cavity, filled with endolymph, represents the original cavity which was first open to the surface but subse- quently covered in. It gradually attains its curiously twisted form by a series of peculiar processes of unequal growth in the, at first, simple walls of the vesicle. The corium of the membranous labyrinth, and all the tissues of the osseous labyrinth, are developed out of the meso- blastic investment of the vesicle. The space between the osseous and membranous labyrinths, including the scala vestibuli and scala tympani, may be regarded as essentially a series of lymphatic cavities hollowed out in the mesoblast. It will be seen then that the ear, while resembling the eye in so far as the peculiar structures in which the sensory nerve in each case terminates are formed of involuted epiblast, differs from it inasmuch as it arises by an independent involution of the superficial epiblast, vi] THE OLFACTORY ORGAN, 161 whereas the eye is a constricted portion of the general involution which gives rise to the central nervous system. The origin of the auditory nerve has already been described. It is shewn in close contact with the walls of the auditory pit in Fig. 53. Organ of Smell. The organ of smell makes its ap- pearance during the third day, as two depressions or pits, on the uuder surface of the head, a little in front of the eye (Fig. 56, 1”). Fie. 56, Heap oF aN Empryo CHICK oF THE THIRD Day VIEWED SIDEWAYS AS AN Opaque OBJECT. (Chromic acid preparation.) C.H. Cerebral hemispheres. J.B. Vesicle of third ventricle. MB. Mid-brain. 0d. Cerebellum. H.B. Medulla ob- longata. NV. Nasal pit. of. otic vesicle in the stage of a pit with the open- ing not yet closed up. op. Optic vesicle, with /. lens and ch.f. choroidal fissure. The superficial epiblast moulds itself to the form of the optic vesicle and the lens ; hence the choroidal fissure, though formed entirely underneath the superficial epiblast, is distinctly visible from the outside. 1 F. The first visceral fold; above itis seen a slight indication of the superior maxillary process. 2,3,4F. Second, third and fourth visceral folds, with the vis- ceral clefts between them. F. & B. 11 162 THE THIRD DAY. [CHAP, Like the lens and the labyrinth of the ear, they are formed from the external epiblast; unlike them they are never closed up. The olfactory nerves arise as outgrowths of the front end of the cerebral hemispheres, before any trace of a special division of the brain, forming an olfactory lobe, has become established. Their peripheral extremities unite with the walls of the olfactory pits during the third day. The olfactory lobes arise as outgrowths of the cerebral hemispheres on the seventh day of incuba- tion. Visceral Arches and Visceral Clefts. It must be borne in mind that, especially in the early stages of development, owing to the very unequal growth of different parts, the relative position of the various structures is continually shifting. This is very well seen in the instance of the heart. At its first appear- ance, the heart is lodged immediately beneath the extreme front of the alimentary canal, so far forwards as to underlie that portion of the medullary canal which will form the brain. It is, in fact, at that epoch a part of the head. From that early position it gradually recedes farther and farther backward, until, at the end of the third day, a considerable interval is observed between it and the actual head. In other words, a distinct neck has been formed, in which most important changes take place. The neck is distinguished from the trunk in which the heart now lies by the important feature that in it there is no cleavage of the mesoblast into somatopleure and splanchnopleure, and consequently no pleuroperito- neal cavity. In passing from the exterior into the ali- vI.] THE VISCERAL CLEFTS. 163 mentary canal, the three layers of the blastoderm are successively traversed, without any breach of continuity, save such as is caused by the cavities of the blood- vessels. In this neck, so constituted, there appear on the third day certain fissures or clefts, the visceral or branchial clefts. These are real clefts or slits passing right through the walls of the throat, and are placed in series on either side across the axis of the alimentary canal, lying not quite at right angles to that axis and parallel to each other, but converging somewhat to the middle of the throat in front (Fig. 56). Viewed from the outside in either fresh or preserved embryos they are not very distinctly seen to be clefts; but when they are seen from within, after laying open the throat, their characters as elongated oval slits can easily be recog- nised. Four in number on either side, the most anterior is the first to be formed, the other three following in suc- cession. Their formation takes place from within out- wards. The hypoblast is pushed outwards as a pouch, which grows till it meets the epiblast, which is then broken through, while the hypoblast forms a junction with the epiblast at the outside of the throat. No sooner has a cleft been formed than its anterior border (2.e. the border nearer the head) becomes raised into a thick lip or fold, the vesceral or branchial fold. Each cleft has its own fold on its anterior border, and in addition the posterior border of the fourth or last visceral cleft is raised into a similar fold. There are thus five visceral folds to four visceral clefts (Fig. 56). The last two folds however, and especially the last, are not nearly so thick and prominent as the other three, the second 11—2 164 THE THIRD DAY. [CHAP. being the broadest and most conspicuous of all. The first fold meets, or nearly meets, its fellow in the middle line in front, but the second falls short of reaching the middle line, and the third, fourth and fifth do so in an increasing degree. Thus in front views of the neck a triangular space with its apex directed towards the head is observed between the ends of the several folds. Into this space the pleuroperitoneal cavity extends, the somatopleure separating from the splanchnopleure along the ends of the folds; and it is here that the aorta plunges into the mesoblast of the body. The visceral clefts and arches to a large extent dis- appear in the adult, and constitute examples of an intc- resting class of embryonic organs, whose presence is only to be explained by the fact that, in the ancestors of the types in which they are now developed in the embryo, they performed an important function in the adult. The visceral arches and clefts are in fact the homologues of the branchial arches and branchial clefts of Fishes, which continue to be formed in the embryos of the higher vertebrate types, although they have ceased to serve as organs of respiration. The skeletal structures developed in the visceral arches persist as the jaw-bones and hyoid bone, but the clefts, with the exception of the first, become obliterated. Of the history of the skeletal elements we shall speak in detail hereafter; meanwhile we may briefly deal with the general history of these parts. The first fold on either side, increasing rapidly in size and prominence, does not, like the others, remain single, but sends off in the course of the third day a branch or bud-like process from its anterior edge. This VIL] THE VISCERAL ARCHES. 165 branch, starting from near the dorsal beginning of the fold, runs ventralwards and forwards, tending to meet the corresponding branch from the fold on the other side, at a point in the middle line nearer the front of the head than the junction of the main folds. The two branches do not quite meet, being separated by a median process, which at the same time grows down from the extreme front of the head, and against which they abut. Between the main folds, which are directed somewhat backwards and the branches which slant forwards, a somewhat lozenge-shaped space is developed which, as the folds become more and more prominent, grows deeper and deeper. In the main folds are developed the man- dibles, and in the branches the superior masille: the lozenge-shaped cavity between them is the cavity of the mouth, and the descending process which helps to complete the upper margin of this cavity is called, from the parts which will be formed out of it, the fronto- nasal process. Part of the mesoblast of the two succeeding pairs of visceral folds is transformed into the hyoid bone, which will be best considered in connection with the develop- ment of the skull. The two last arches disappear with- out giving rise to any permanent structures. With the exception of the first the visceral clefts become obliterated at an early stage of embryonic life ; but the first persists, although it loses all trace of its original branchial function and becomes intimately con- nected with the organ of hearing, of which in fact it forms a most essential part, becoming converted into the Eustachian tube and tympanic cavity. The outer opening and the outer part also of the cleft become 166 THE THIRD DAY. [CHAP. obliterated at an early date, but from the inner part of the cleft a diverticulum is given off towards the ex- terior, which becomes the tympanic cavity. The inner part of the cleft itself forms the Eustachian tube, while its mouth forms the oral aperture of this tube. The meatus auditorius externus first appears as a shallow depression at the region where the closure of the first visceral cleft takes place. It is in part formed by the tissue surrounding this depression growing up in the form ‘of a wall, but the blind end of the meatus also becomes actually pushed in towards the tympanic cavity. The tympanic membrane is derived from the tissue which separates the meatus auditorius externus from the tympanic cavity. This tissue is obviously consti- tuted of an hypoblastic epithelium on its inner aspect, an epiblastic epithelium on its outer aspect, and a layer of mesoblast between them, and these three layers give rise to the three layers of which this membrane is formed in the adult. During the greater part of foetal life it is relatively very thick, and presents a structure bearing but little resemblance to that in the adult. The tympanic cavity is bounded on its inner aspect by the osseous investment of the internal ear, but at two points, known as the fenestra ovalis and fenestra rotunda, the bone is deficient and its place is taken by a membrane. These two fenestre appear early, and are probably formed by the nonchrondrification of a small area of the embryonic cartilage. The upper of the two, or fenestra ovalis, contains the base of a bone, known as the columella. The main part of the columella is vi] THE AORTIC ARCHES. 167 formed of a stalk which is held by Parker to be derived from part of the skeleton of the visceral arches, while the base, forming the stapes, appears to be an inde- pendent formation. The stalk of the columella extends to the tympanic membrane; its outer end becoming imbedded in this membrane, and serving to transmit the vibrations of the membrane to the fluid in the internal ear. Vascular system. By the end of the second day three pairs of aortic arches had been established in connection with the heart. When the visceral folds and clefts are formed, a definite arrangement between them and the aortic arches is always observed. The first. visceral cleft runs between the first and second aortic arches. Consequently the first aortic arch runs in the first visceral fold, and the second in the second. In the same way, the second visceral cleft lies between the second and third aortic arches, the third aortic arch running in the third visceral fold. Each aortic arch runs in the thickened mesoblast of the corresponding fold. Arrived at the dorsal surface of the alimentary canal, these arches unite at acute angles to form a common trunk, the dorsal aorta (Fig. 57, A.O), which runs along the back immediately under the notochord. The length of this common single trunk is not great, as it soon divides into two main branches, each of which, after giving off the large vitelline artery, Of-A., pursues its course with diminished calibre to the tail, where it is finally lost in the capillaries of that part. The heart is now completely doubled up on itself. Its mode of curvature is apparently somewhat compli- cated. Starting from the point of junction of the vitel- 168 THE THIRD DAY. [cHap. DiacgRaM OF THE ARTERIAL CIRCULATION ON THE TuHirD Day. 1, 2,3. The first three pairs of aortic arches. A. The vessel formed by the junction of the three pairs of arches. A.0. Dorsal aorta formed by the junction of the two branches A and A; it quickly divides again into two branches which pass down one on each side of the notochord. From each of these is given off a large branch Of.A., the vitelline artery. ECA, I.CA, external and internal carotid arteries. line veins (Fig. 37, Ht), there is first a slight curvature towards the left; this is followed by a turn to the right, and then the heart is completely bent on itself, so that afterwards it pursues a course directed from behind quite straight forwards (except perhaps for a little incli- nation to the left) to the point where the aortic arches branch off. In this way, as shewn in section in Fig. 59, A, the end of the bulbus arteriosus (v) comes to lie just underneath (or in front of according to the position of vi.] THE HEART. 169 the embryo) that part which has already been marked off by the lateral bulgings as the auricular portion (aw). That part of the heart which is turned to the right, including the point of doubling up, is the ventricular portion, and is even at this stage separated from the auricular portion by a slight neck. This external con- striction corresponds to an internal narrowing of the lumen of the heart, and marks the position of the future canals auricularis. The ventricular portion is, on the other hand, like- wise separated by a fainter constriction from the ante- rior continuation of the heart which forms the bulbus arteriosus. The projecting part where the doubling takes place is at this stage still quite round; we shall see that later on it becomes pointed and forms the apex of the heart. The whole venous portion of the heart (if we may so speak of it, though of course at this stage blood of the same quality passes right along the whole cardiac canal) lies in a plane which is more dorsal than the arterial por- tion. The point at which the venous roots of the heart, a.e. the two vitelline trunks, unite into a single canal, is on this day carried farther and farther away from the heart itself By the end of the day there is a consider- able distance between the auricular portion of the actual heart and the point where the venous roots separate, each to pursue its course along the splanchnopleure-fold of its own side. This distance is traversed by a single venous trunk, of which the portion close to the auricles is called the sinus venosus, and the more distant the ductus venosus. We shall give to the whole trunk the name used by the older observers, the meatus venosus. 170 THE THIRD DAY. [CHAP Small arteries to various parts of the body are now being given off by the aorta and its branches. The capillaries in which these end are gathered into veins which unite to form two main trunks on either side, the cardinal veins, anterior and posterior (Fig. 36, Fig. 58 Fie. 58. DIAGRAM OF THE VENOUS CIRCULATION ON THE Tairp Day. HT. Heart. J. Jugular or anterior cardinal vein. C. Inferior or posterior cardinal vein. Of Vitelline vein. de. Ductus Cuvieri. J and C), which run parallel to the long axis of the body in the upper part of the mesoblast, a little external to the mesoblastic somites. These veins, which do not attain to any great importance till well on in the third day, unite opposite to the heart, on each side, into a short common trunk at right angles to themselves. The two short trunks thus formed, which bear the name of ductus Cuviert (Fig. 36, Fig. 58, dc), running ventralwards and then transversely straight inwards towards the middle line fall into the sinus venosus. The two ductus Cuvieri pass from the heart to the body walls in a special horizontal mesentery, whose for- mation and function we shall return to in speaking of the formation of the pericardial cavity. The position of one of them is shewn in section in Fig. 59 B, de. VL] THE TAIL-FOLD. 171 Fie. 59. TRANSVERSE SECTIONS THROUGH A CHICK EMBRYO WITH TweEnty-onE Mrsopuastic SoMITES TO SHEW THE For- MATION OF THE PERICARDIAL Cavity, A. BEING THE ANTERIOR SECTION. pp. body cavity ; pe. pericardial cavity ; al. alimentary cavity ; au. auricle; v. ventricle; sv. sinus venosus; de. ductus Cuvieri ; ao. aorta ; mp. muscle-plate ; me. medullary cord. The alimentary canal. As we stated above, the folding in of the splanchnopleure to form the alimentary canal is proceeding with great rapidity, the tail-fold as well as the head-fold contributing largely to this result. The formation of the tail-fold is very similar to that of the head-fold. The tail is a solid, somewhat curved, blunt cone of mesoblast, immediately coated with the 172 THE THIRD DAY. [CHAP. superficial epiblast except at the upper surface (corre- sponding to the back of the embryo), where lies the pointed termination of the neural tube. So rapid is the closure of the splanchnopleure both in front and behind, that two of the three parts into which the digestive tract may be divided, are brought, on this day, to the condition of complete tubes. The first division, including the region from the mouth to the duodenum, is completely folded in by the end of the day; so likewise is the third division com- prising the large intestine and the cloaca. The middle division, corresponding to the future small intestine, still remains quite open to the yolk-sac below. The attachment of the newly formed alimentary canal to the body above is at first very broad, and only a thin stratum of mesoblast separates the hypoblast of the canal from the notochord and mesoblastic somites; even that.may be absent under the notochord. During the third day, however, along such portions of the canal as have become regularly enclosed, z.e. the hinder division and the posterior moiety of the anterior division, the mesoblastic attachment becomes narrower and (in a ver- tical direction) longer, the canal appearing to be drawn more ventralwards (or according to the position of the embryo forwards), away from the vertebral column. In what may be regarded as the pleural division of the general pleuroperitoneal space, along that part of the alimentary canal which will form the cesophagus, this withdrawal is very slight (Fig. 59), but it is very marked in the peritoneal space. Here such parts of the digestive canal as are formed come to be suspended from the body above by a narrow flattened band of mesoblas- V1] THE GSOPHAGUS, iw tic tissue which reaches from the neighbourhood of the notochord, and becomes continuous with the mesoblas- tic coating which wraps round the hypoblast of the canal. This flattened band is the mesentery, shewn commencing in Fig. 65, and much more advanced in Fig. 68, M. It is covered on either side by a layer of flat cells forming the epithelioid lining of the peritoneal membrane, while its interior is composed of indifferent tissue. The front division of the digestive tract consists of three parts. The most anterior part, the esophagus, still ending blindly in front reaches back as far as the level of the hind end of the heart; and is divided into two regions, viz. an anterior region, characterized by the presence of the visceral clefts, whose development has already been dealt with, and a posterior region without such clefts. Its transverse section, which up to the end of the second day was somewhat crescent-shaped, with the convexity downwards, becomes on this day more nearly circular. Close to its hinder limit, the lungs (Fig. 60, lg), of whose formation we shall speak directly, take their origin. The portion of the digestive canal which succeeds the cesophagus, becomes towards the close of the third day somewhat dilated (Fig. 60, St); the region of the stomach is thus indicated. The hinder or pyloric end of the stomach is separated by a very small interval from the point where the com- plete closing in of the alimentary canal ceases, and where the splanchnopleure-folds spread out over the yolk, This short tract is nevertheless clearly marked out as 174 THE THIRD DAY. [CHAP. . Fic. 60. DiagRaM OF A PORTION OF THE DIGESTIVE TRACT OF A CHIcK UPON THE FourtH Day. (Copied from Gitte.) The black inner line represents the hypoblast, the outer shading the mesoblast. dg. lung-diverticulum with expanded termi- nation, forming the primary lung-vesicle. S¢. stomach. 1. two hepatic diverticula with their terminations united by cords of hypoblast cells. . diverticulum of the pancreas with the vesicular diverticula coming from it. the duodenum by the fact that from it, as we shall presently point out, the rudiments of the ducts of the liver and pancreas are beginning to be formed. The posterior division of the digestive tract, cor- responding to the great intestine and cloaca, is from its very first formation nearly circular in section and of a larger bore than the cesophagus. During part of the third day the hinder end of this section of the gut is in communication with the neural tube by the neurenteric canal already spoken of (Fig: 61, ne). The communication between the two tubes VL] THE PROCTODEUM. 175 Fie. 61. DIAGRAMMATIC LONGITUDINAL SECTION THROUGH THE POS8- TERIOR END OF AN EmBRyo Birp, AT THE TIME OF THE FoRMATION ON THE ALLANTOIS. ep. epiblast; Sp.c. spinal canal; ch. notochord ; n.e. neurenteric canal ; hy. hypoblast; p.a.g. postanal gut; pr. remains of primitive streak folded in on the ventral side; al. allantois ; me. mesoblast ; an. point where anus will be formed; p.c. perivisceral cavity; am. amnion; so. somatopleure; sp. splanchnopleure. does not last long, but even after its rupture there re- mains a portion of the canal continuous with the gut; this, however, constitutes a purely embryonic and tran- sient section of the alimentary canal, and is known as the postanal gut. Immediately in front of it is a deep infolding of the epiblast, which nearly meets the hypoblast (Fig. 61, an) and forms the rudiment of the anus and of the outer section of the cloaca into which the bursa Fabricii opens in the adult. It is known to embryologists as the proctodeum, but does not open into the alimentary tract till considerably later. The 176 THE THIRD DAY. [CHAP. section of the alimentary tract immediately in front of the postanal gut is somewhat enlarged, and becomes the inner section of the adult cloaca receiving the urinary and genital ducts. The allantois, to whose develop- ment we shall return directly, opens into it ventrally. It is to be noted that the two sections of the cloaca of adult birds have a different origin. The inner section being part of the primitive alimentary tract and lined by hypoblast; the outer being part of an involution of the outer skin and lined by epiblast. The lungs are in their origin essentially buds or processes from the primitive cesophagus. At a point immediately behind the region of the visceral clefts the cavity of the alimentary canal be- comes compressed laterally, and at the same time con- stricted in the middle so that its transverse section (Fig. 62,1) is somewhat hourglass-shaped, and shews an upper or dorsal chamber d, joining on to a lower or ventral chamber J by a short narrow neck. The hinder end of the lower tube enlarges (Fig. 62, 2),and then becomes partially divided into two lobes (Fig. 62,3). All these parts at first freely communicate, but the two lobes behind, partly by their own growth, and partly by a process of constriction, soon become isolated posteriorly (Fig. 60, ig); while in front they open into the lower chamber of the cesophagus. By a continuation forwards of the process of con- striction the lower chamber of the cesophagus, carrying with it the two lobes above mentioned, becomes gradu- ally transformed into an independent tube, opening in front by a narrow slit-like aperture into the cesophagus. The single tube in front is the rudiment of the trachea v1] THE LUNGS, 177 and larynx, while the two diverticula behind (Fig. 60, ig) become the bronchial tubes and lungs, While the above changes are taking place in the hypoblastic walls of the alimentary tract, the splanchnic Fig. 62, 1 2 a a Z Z 3 4 ad a> a a . Vo b Py @ \ ; V a t Four DIAGRAMS ILLUSTRATING THE FORMATION OF THE Lunes. (After Gétte.) a. mesoblast; 6. hypoblast; d. cavity of digestive canal; J. cavity of the pulmonary diverticulum. In (1) the digestive canal has commenced to be constricted into a dorsal and ventral canal; the former the true alimentary canal, the latter the pulmonary tube; the two tubes communi- cate with each other in the centre. In (2) the ventral (pulmonary) tube has become expanded. In (3) the expanded portion of the tube has become con- stricted into two tubes, still communicating with each other and with the digestive canal. In (4) these are completely separated from each other and from the digestive canal, and the mesoblast has also begun to exhibit externally changes corresponding to the internal changes which have been going on. F. & B. 12 178 THE THIRD DAY. [CHAP, mesoblast surrounding these structures becomes very much thickened; but otherwise bears no marks of the internal changes which are going on, so that the above formation of the lungs and trachea cannot be seen from the surface. As the paired diverticula of the lungs grow backwards, the mesoblast around them takes however the form of two lobes, into which they gradually bore their way. The further development of the lungs is, at first, essentially similar to that of a racemose gland. From each primitive diverticulum numerous branches are given off. These branches, which are mainly confined to the dorsal and lateral parts, penetrate into the sur- rounding mesoblast and continue to give rise to second- ary and tertiary branches. At right angles to the finest of these the arborescent branches so charac- teristic of the avian lung are given off. In the meso- blast around them numerous capillaries make their appearance. The air sacs, which form such important adjuncts of the avian lungs, are the dilated extremities of the primary pulmonary diverticula and of their main branches. The whole pulmonary structure is therefore the result of the growth by budding of a system of branched hypoblastic tubes in the midst of a mass of mesoblastic tissue, the hypoblastic elements giving rise to the epi- thelium of the tubes and the mesoblast providing the elastic, muscular, cartilaginous, connective and other tissues of the tracheal and bronchial walls. The liver is the first formed chylopoietic appendage of the digestive canal, and arises between the 55th and VL.] THE LIVER. 179 60th hour as a couple of diverticula one from either side of the duodenum immediately behind the stomach (Fig. 60, 2). These diverticula are of course lined by hypoblast. The right’ one is, in all cases, from the first longer, but of smaller diameter than the left. Situated a little behind the heart, they embrace between them the two vitelline veins forming the roots of the meatus venosus. The diverticula soon give rise to numerous hollow branches or processes, which extend into the surround- ing mesoblast. Towards the end of the third day there may further be observed in the greatly thickened mesoblastic invest- ment of either diverticulum a number of cylindrical solid cords of hypoblast which are apparently out- growths from the hypoblast of the branches of the di- verticula. These cylinders rapidly increase in number, apparently by a process of sprouting, and their some- what swollen peripheral extremities come into contact and unite. And thus, about the ninetieth hour, a sort of network of solid thick strings of hypoblastic cells is formed, the mesoblast in the meshes of the network becoming at the same time largely converted into blood-vessels. Each diverticulum becomes in this way surrounded by a thick mass composed partly of solid cylinders, and to a less extent of hollow processes, con- tinuous with the cylinders on the one hand, and the main diverticulum on the other, all knit together with commencing blood-vessels and unchanged mesoblastic tissue. Between the two masses runs the now fused roots of the meatus venosus with which the blood- vessels in each mass are connected. 12—2 180 THE THIRD DAY. [CHaP, Early on the fourth day each mass sends out ventral to the meatus venosus a solid projection of hypoblas- tic cylinders towards its fellow, that from the left side being much the longest. The two projections unite and form a long solid wedge, which passes obliquely down from the right (or from the embryo lying on its left side, the upper) mass to the left (or lower) one. In this new wedge may be seen the same arrangement of a network of hypoblastic cylinders filled in with vascular mesoblast as in the rest of the liver. The two original diverticula with their investing masses represent respec- tively the right and left lobes of the liver, and the wedge- like bridge connecting them is the middle lobe. During the fourth and fifth days the growth of the solid, lobed liver thus formed is very considerable; the hypoblastic cylinders multiply rapidly, and the network formed by them becomes very close, the meshes contain- ing little more than blood-vessels. The hollow processes of the diverticula also ramify widely, each branch being composed of a lining of hypoblast enveloped in a coating of spindle-shaped mesoblastic cells. The blood-vessels are in direct connection with the meatus venosus—have become, in fact, branches of it. It may soon be observed, that in those vessels which are connected with the pos- terior part of the liver (Fig. 74), the stream of blood is directed from the meatus venosus into the network of the liver. In those connected with the anterior part the reverse is the case; here the blood flows from the liver into the meatus venosus. The thick network of solid cylinders represents the hepatic parenchyma of the adult liver, while the hollow processes of the diverticula are the rudiments of the biliary ducts; and we may suppose v1] THE PANCREAS. 181 each solid cylinder to represent a duct with its lumen almost, but perhaps not quite, completely obliterated. During the fifth day, a special sac or pouch is deve- loped from the right primary diverticulum. This pouch, consisting of an inner coat of hypoblast, and an outer of mesoblast, is the rudiment of the gall-bladder. The Pancreas arises nearly at the same time as the liver in the form of an almost solid outgrowth from the dorsal side of the intestine nearly opposite but slightly behind the hepatic outgrowths (Fig. 60, p). Its blind end becomes somewhat enlarged and from it numerous diverticula grow out into the passive splanchnic meso- blast. As the ductules grow longer and become branched, vascular processes grow in between them, and the whole forms a compact glandular body in the mesentery on the dorsal side of the alimentary tract. The primitive outgrowth elongates and assumes the character of a duct. On the sixth day a new similar outgrowth from the duodenum takes place between the primary diver- ticulum and the stomach. This, which ultimately coalesces with its predecessor, gives rise to the second duct, and forms a considerable part of the adult pan- creas. A third duct is formed at a much later period. The Thyroid body. The thyroid body arises at the end of the second or beginning of the third day as an outgrowth from the hypoblast of the ventral wall of the throat opposite the point of origin of the anterior aortic arch. It has at first the form of a groove extending forwards up to the future mouth, and in its front part extending ventrally to the epiblast. It has not been made out whether the whole groove becomes converted into the permanent thyroid. By the fourth day it becomes a solid mass of cells, and by the fifth ceases to be connected 182 THE THIRD DAY. [CHAP. with the epithelium of the throat, becoming at the same time bilobed. By the seventh day it has travelled somewhat back- wards, and the two lobes have completely separated from each other. By-the ninth day the whole is invested by a capsule of connective tissue, which sends in septa dividing it into a number of lobes or solid masses of cells, and by the sixteenth day its two lobes are composed of a number of follicles, each with a ‘mem- brana propria,’ and separated from each other by septa of con- nective tissue, much as in the adult}, The spleen, Although the spleen cannot be reckoned amongst the glands of the alimentary tract its development may conveniently be dealt with here. It is formed shortly after the first appearance of the pancreas, as a thickening of the me- sentery of the stomach (mesogastrium) and is therefore entirely a mesoblastic structure. The mass of mesoblast which forms the spleen becomes early separated by a groove on the one side from the pancreas and on the other from the mesentery. Some of its cells become elongated, and send out processes which, uniting with like processes from other cells, form the trabecular system. From the remainder of the tissue are derived the cells of the spleen pulp, which frequently contain more than one nucleus. Especial accumulations of these take place at a later period to form the so-called Malpighian corpuscles of the spleen. The Allantois. We have already had occasion to point out that the allantois is essentially a diverticulum of the alimentary tract into which it opens immediately in front of the anus. Its walls are formed of vascular splanchnic mesoblast, within which is a lining of hypo- blast. It becomes a conspicuous object on the third day of incubation, but its first development takes place at an earlier period, and is intimately connected with the formation of the posterior section of the gut. At the time of the folding in of the hinder end of 1 Miller Ueber die Entwickelung der Schilddriise. Jenaische Zeitschrift, 1871. vI.] THE ALLANTOIS. 183 the gut the splitting of the mesoblast into somatopleure and splanchnopleure has extended up to the border of the hinder division of the primitive streak. The ventral wall of what we have already termed the postanal section of the alimentary tract is formed by the primi- tive streak. Immediately in front of this is the involu- tion which forms the proctodeum; while the wall of the hindgut in front of the proctodeeum owes its origin to a folding in of the splanchnopleure. The allantois first appears as a narrow diverticulum formed by a special fold of the splanchnopleure just in front of the proctodeum. This protuberance arises, how- ever, before the splanchnopleure has begun to be tucked in so as to form the ventral wall of the hindgut; and it then forms a diverticulum (Fig. 63 A, All) the open end of which is directed forward, while its blind end points somewhat dorsalwards and towards the peritoneal space behind the embryo. As the hindgut becomes folded in the allantois shifts its position, and forms (Figs. 63 B and 61) a rather wide vesicle lying immediately ventral to the hind end of the digestive canal, with which it communicates freely by a still considerable opening; its blind end projects into the pleuroperitoneal cavity below. Still later the allantois grows forward, and becomes a large spherical vesicle, still however remaining con- nected with the cloaca by a narrow canal which? forms its neck or stalk (Fig. 9 G, al). From the first the allantois lies in the pleuroperitoneal cavity. In this cavity it grows forwards till it reaches the front limit of the hindgut, where the splanchnopleure turns back to enclose the yolk-sac. It does not during the third 184 THE THIRD DAY. [CHAP. Fie. 63. ‘Two LoneirupinaL SECTIONS oF THE TAIL-END oF aN Em- BRYO CHICK TO SHEW THE ORIGIN OF THE ALLANTOIS. A AT THE BEGINNING OF THE THIRD Day; B av THE MIDDLE OF THE THIRD Day. (After Dobrynin.) t. the tail; m. the mesoblast; 2’. the epiblast; «”. the neural -eanal; Dd. the dorsal wall of the hindgut; SO. somato- pleure; Spl. splanchnopleure; w. the mesoblast of the splanchnopleure carrying the vessels of the yolk-sac; pp. pleuroperitoneal cavity; Df the epithelium lining the pleuroperitoneal cavity; Ali. the commencing allantois; w. projection formed by anterior and posterior divisions of the primitive streak; y. hypoblast which will form the ventral wall of the hindgut; ». anal invagination (procto- deeum); G. cloaca. day project beyond this point; but on the fourth day begins te pass out beyond the body of the chick, along the as yet wide space between the splanchnic and soma- tic stalks of the embryo, on its way to the space between the external and internal folds of the amnion, which it will be remembered, is directly continuous with the pleuroperitoneal cavity (Fig. 9 K). In this space it VI.] THE MESOBLASTIC SOMITES. 185 eventually spreads out over the whole body of the chick. On the first half of the fourth day the vesicle is still very small, and its growth is not very rapid. Its mesoblast wall still remains very thick. In the latter half of the day its growth becomes very rapid, and it forms a very conspicuous object in a chick of that date (Fig. 67, Al). At the same time its blood-vessels be- come important. It receives its supply of blood from two branches of the aorta known as the allantoic arte- ries, and the blood is brought back from it by two allan- toic veins which run along in the body walls, and after uniting into a single trunk fall into the vitelline vein close behind the liver. Mesoblast of the trunk. Coincidently with the appearance of these several rudiments of important organs in the more or less modified splanchnopleure- folds, the solid trunk of the embryo is undergoing marked changes. When we compare a transverse section taken through say the middle of the trunk at the end of the third day (Fig. 65), with a, similar one of the second day (Fig. 34), or even the commencement of the third day (Fig. 64), we are struck with the great increase of depth (from dorsal to ventral surface) in proportion to breadth. This is partly due to the slope of the side walls of the body having become much steeper, as a direct result of the rapidly progressing folding off of the embryo from the yolk-sac. But it is also brought about by the great changes both of shape and structure which are taking place in the mesoblastic somites, as well as by the development of a mass of tissue between the notochord and the hypoblast of the alimentary canal. 186 THE THIRD DAY. [CHAP. It will be remembered that the horizontal splitting of the mesoblast into somatic and splanchnic layers extends at first to the dorsal summit of the vertebral plates, but after the formation of the somites the split Fie. 64. a spe ab. CRF GO ey SIRs iS QoS CaO QeOpOe ? BS No ; Ly DOO Oo 6 LFF (J GOO TO S SIE s 3. Through dorsal region, shewing the general appear- ance of a section of an embryo at this stage, which should be compared with a similar section of the earlier stage. It shews : a. The commencement of the side folds; the ali- mentary canal still however open below. 6. The Wolffian duct lying close under the epiblast on the outside of the mesoblastic somites. c. The notochord with the aorte on each side. IV. Examination of an Embryo at the end of the third day. A. Opening the egg, as in II. A. B. Examination of the blastoderm in situ. Observe :— 1. The great increase of the vascular area both in size and distinctness. The circulation is now better seen im situ than after the blastoderm has been removed. 2. That the embryo now lies completely on its left side and that it is only connected with the yolk-sac by a somewhat broad stalk. 448 PRACTICAL DIRECTIONS. [APP. Removal of the embryo. See Il. C. It is now unnecessary to remove the whole of the blastoderm with the embryo; indeed it is better to cut away the vascular area unless it is wanted for examination, Surface view of the transparent embryo. Since the embryo now lies on its side we shall not have to speak of the view from above and below. The views from the two sides differ chiefly as to the appearance of the heart. The embryo (freed from the blastoderm and the amnion) is to be floated on to a glass slide in the usual way. It is necessary to protect it while under examination, with a coverslip, which must not be allowed to compress it. To avoid this, we have found it a good plan to support the coverslip at one end only, since by moving it about when thus supported, a greater or less amount of pressure can be applied at will to the object. The details which can at this stage be seen in a transparent embryo are very numerous and we re- commend the student to try and verify everything shewn in Fig. 37. Amongst the more important and obvious points to be noticed are The increase of the cranial flexure and the body- flexure. The condition of the brain. The mid-brain now forms the most anterior point of the head. The fore-brain consists of the inconspicuous vesicle of the third ventricle and the two large cerebral lobes. AFAPP. | OPAQUE EMBRYO. 449 The hind-brain consists of a front portion, the cerebellum with a thickened roof; and a hinder portion, the fourth ventricle with a very thin and delicate roof. Organs of sense. The eye especially is now in a very good state to observe. The student may refer to Fig. 51, and the description there given. The ear-vesicle will be seen either just closing or completely closed. In the region of the heart attention must also be paid to: The wisceral clefts, 6. The investing-mass, i.e. the growth of mesoblast taking place around the end of the notochord. c. The condition of the heart. In the region of the body the chief points to be observed are : . The increase in the number of the somites. b. The Wolfian duct, which can be seen as a streak along the outer side of the hinder somites. c. The allantois, which is now a small vesicle lying between the folds of the somatopleure and splanchnopleure at the hind end of the body, but as yet hardly projects beyond the body cavity. The embryo as an opaque object. Preparation as in IT. F. The general form of the embryo can be very satis- factorily seen when it is hardened and examined as an opaque object; but the most important points to be F. & B, 29 450 PRACTICAL DIRECTIONS. [APP. made out at this stage in the hardened specimens are those connected with the visceral clefts and folds and the mouth. If the amnion has uot been removed it will be necessary to pick it completely away with needles. Without further preparation a view of the visceral folds and clefts may be obtained from the side; but a far more instructive view is that from below, in order to gain which the following method may be adopted. Pour a small quantity of melted black wax (made by mixing together lampblack and melted wax) into a watch-glass, using just enough to cover the bottom of the glass. While still soft make a small depression in the wax with the rounded end of a pen-holder or handle of a paint-brush and allow the wax to cool. In the meantime cut off the head of the hardened embryo by a sharp clean transverse incision carried just behind the visceral clefts, transfer it to the watch-glass and cover it with water or spirit. By a little manipulation the head of the embryo may now be shifted into the small depression in the wax, and thus be made to assume any required position. It should then be examined with a simple lens under a strong reflected light, and a drawing made of it. When the head is placed in the proper position, the following points may easily be seen. The opening of the mouth bounded below by the first pair of visceral folds, and commencing to be enclosed above by the now very small buds which are the rudiments of the superior mawillary pro- cesses. Compare Fig. 56. APP. ] -FOURTH DAY EMBRYO. 451 2. The second and third visceral arches and clefts. 3. The nasal pits. F. Sections. Manipulation as in I. B. 3. The most important sections are :— 1. Through the eyes in the three planes, vide Fig. 50, A. B.C. 2. Through the auditory sac. 3. Through the dorsal region, shewing the general changes which have taken place. Amongst these, notice a. The changes of the mesoblastic somites: the com- mencing formation of the muscle-plates. 6. The position of the Wolffian duct and the forma- tion of the germinal epithelium. c. The aorte and the cardinal veins. d. The great increase in depth and relative diminu- tion in breadth of the section. VY. Examination of an Embryo of the Fourth Day. A. Opening the egg,asin II. A. Great care will be required not to injure the embryo, which now lies close to the shell-membrane. B. Examination in situ. Observe:— 1. The now conspicuous amnion. The allantois, a small, and as yet hardly vascular vesicle, beginning to project from the embryo into the space between the true and the false amnion. 3. The rapidly narrowing somatic stalk. 29—2 452 PRACTICAL DIRECTIONS. [APP. C. Removal of the embryo, as in II. C. and IV. C. The remarks made in the latter place apply with still greater force to an embryo of the fourth and ‘succeeding days. D. Surface view of the transparent embryo. For manipulation, vide IV. D. The points to be observed are :— 1. The formation of the fifth, seventh, and ninth cranial nerves. To observe these, a small amount of pressure is advantageous. 2. The formation of the fourth visceral cleft, and the increase in size of the superior maxillary process. 3. The formation of the nasal pits and grooves. 4. The great relative growth of the cerebral lobes and the formation of the pineal gland from the roof of the vesicle of the third ventricle. 5. The great increase in the investing mass. The formation and growth of the muscle-plates, which can now be easily seen from the exterior. 7. The allantois. Make out its position and mode of opening into the alimentary canal. E. The embryo as an opaque object. Manipulation as IJ. F. For mode of examination wide IV. E. The view of the mouth from underneath, shewing the nasal pit and grooves, the superior and inferior maxillary processes and the other visceral folds and clefts, is very instructive at this stage. Compare Fig. 69. AbP,] TWENTY HOURS EMBRYO. 453 F. Sections. Manipulation as in I. B. 3. VI. MP ae He, The most important sections are, Through the eyes. Transverse section immediately behind the visceral arches, shewing the origin of the lungs. Transverse section just in front of the umbilical stalk, shewing the origin of the hiver. Transverse section at about the centre of the dorsal region, to shew the general features of the fourth day. Compare Fig. 68. Amongst the points to be noticed in this section, are Muscle-plates. Spinal nerves and ganglia. Wolffian duct and bodies. Miiller’s duct. Mesentery. Commencing changes in the spinal cord. Section passing through the opening of the allan- tois into the alimentary canal. For the points to be observed in embryos of the fifth and sixth days, the student must consult the chapters devoted to those days. In the hardened specimens, especial attention should be paid to the changes which take place in the parts forming the boundaries of the mouth. Examination of a Blastoderm of 20 hours. Opening the egg, as in II. A. Examination in situ. It will not be found possible to make out anything very satisfactory from the examination of a blasto- 45 454 i) PRACTICAL DIRECTIONS. [APP. derm in situ atthis age. The student will however not fail to notice the halones, which can be seen forming concentric rings round the blastoderm. Removal of the embryo. Two methods of hardening can be adopted at this age. One of these involves the removal of the blastoderm from the yolk, asin II. C. In the other case, the yolk is hardened as a whole. If the latter method be employed, the embryo cannot be viewed as a transparent object. In the cases where the blastoderm is removed from the yolk, the manipulation is similar to that described under II. C, with the exception of more care being required in freeing the blastoderm from the vitelline membrane. Surface view transparent, from above. Observe :— The medullary groove between the two medullary JSolds, whose hind ends diverge to enclose between them the end of the primitive groove. The head-fold at the end of the medullary groove. The one or two pairs of mesoblastic somites flanking the medullary groove. The notochord as an opaque streak along the floor of the medullary groove. E. Surface view transparent, from below, Same points to be seen as from above, but less clearly. APP. | F, TWENTY HOURS EMBRYO. 455 Embryo as an opaque object. As an opaque object, whether the embryo is hard- ened in situ or after being removed from the yolk, the same points are to be seen as when it is viewed as a transparent object, with the exception of the notochord and mesoblastic somites (vide D). The various grooves and folds are however seen with far greater clearness. Sections. Two methods of hardening may be employed ; (1) with the embryo in situ, (2) after it has been removed. To harden the blastoderm in situ the yolk must be hardened asa whole. After opening the egg either leave the yolk in the egg-shell or pour it out into a Berlin capsule; in any case freeing it as much as possible from the white, and taking especial care to remove the more adherent layer of white which im- mediately surrounds the yolk. Place it in picric acid or a weak solution of chromic acid (first of -1 p.c. and then of ‘5 p.c.) with the blastoderm uppermost and leave it in that position for two or three days. Care must be taken that the yolk does not roll about; the blastoderm must not be allowed to alter its position : otherwise it may be hard to find it when everything has become opaque. If at the end of the second day the blastoderm is not sufficiently hard, the strength of the solution, if chromic acid be used, should be increased and the specimen left in it for another day. After it has become hardened by the acid, the yolk should be washed with water and treated suc- 456: 1. PRACTICAL DIRECTIONS. [app. cessively with weak and strong spirit, vide I. B. After it has been in the strong spirit (90 p.c.) for two days, the vitelline membrane may be safely peeled off and the blastoderm and embryo will be found in situ. The portion of the yolk containing them must then be sliced off with a sharp razor, and placed in absolute alcohol. The staining, &c. may be effected in the ordinary way. If osmic acid, which we believe will be found serviceable for these early stages, is employed, it will be necessary to remove the blastoderm from the yolk before treating it with the reagent. The following trausverse sections are the most im- portant at this stage : Through the medullary groove, shewing a. The medullary folds with the thickened meso- blast. &. The notochord under the medullary groove. c. The commencing cleavage of the mesoblast. Through the region where the medullary folds diverge, to enclose the end of the primitive groove, shewing the greatly increased width of the medul- lary groove, but otherwise no real alteration in the arrangement of the parts. Through the front end of the primitive groove with the so-called axis cord underneath it, while on each side of it are still to be seen the medul- lary folds. Through the primitive groove behind this point, shewing the typical characters of the primitive groove. APP, | VIL A. B. aT UNINCUBATED BLASTODERM. 45 Examination of an unincubated Blastoderm. Opening the egg. “Vide II. A. Examination of the blastoderm in situ. Observe the central white spot and the peripheral more transparent portion of the blastoderm and the halones around it. Removal of the blastoderm. Vide VI. C. With the unincubated blastoderm still greater care is required in removal than with the 20 hours’ blasto- derm, and there is no special advantage in doing so unless it is intended to harden it with osmic acid. Surface view transparent from above. Observe the absence of the central opacity. Surface view transparent from underneath. Nothing further to be observed than from above. As an opaque object. There is nothing to be learnt from this. Sections. Manipulation as in VI. G. The sections shew The distinct epiblast. b. The lower layer cells not as yet differentiated into mesoblast and hypoblast. c. The thickened edge of the blastoderm. d. The segmentation cavity and formative cells. 458 PRACTICAL DIRECTIONS. [APP. VIII. Examination of the process of Segmentation. To observe the process of segmentation it will be found necessary to kill a number of hens which are laying regularly. The best hens lay once every 24 hours, and by observing the time they usually lay (and they generally lay pretty regularly about the same time), a fair guess may be made beforehand as to the time the egg has been in the oviduct. By this means a series of eggs at the various stages of seg- mentation may usually be obtained without a great unnecessary sacrifice of hens. For making sections, the yolk must in all cases be hardened as a whole, which may be done as recommended in VI. G. Chromic acid is an excellent reagent for this and it will be found very easy to make good sections. In the sections especial attention should be paid, To the first appearance of nuclei in the segments, and their character. To the appearance of the horizontal furrows, As to whether new segments continue to be formed outside the limits of the germinal disc, or whether the fresh segmentation merely concerns the already formed segments. In the later stages, to the smaller central and larger peripheral segments, both containing nuclei. For surface views, the germinal disc, either fresh or after it has been hardened, can be used. In both cases it should be examined by a strong reflected light. The chief point to be noticed is the more rapid segmentation of the central than of the peripheral spheres. APP.] STUDY OF BLOOD-VESSELS. 459 IX. Examination of the later changes of the Embryo. For the later stages, and especially for the deve- lopment of the skull and the vascular system of the body of the chick, it will be found necessary to dissect the embryo. This can be done either with the fresh embryo or more advantageously with embryos which have been preserved in spirit. If the embryos are placed while still living into spirit a natural injection may be obtained. And such an injection is the best for following out the arrange- ment of the blood-vessels. Sections of course will be available for study, especially when combined with dissections. X. Study of the development of the Blood-vessels. Observations on this subject must be made with blastoderms of between 30—40 hours. These are to be removed from the egg, in the usual way (vide IT. A. and C.), spread out over a glass slip and examined from below, vide II. E. The blastoderm when under examination must be protected by a coverslip with the usual precautions against pressure and evaporation, and a hot stage must also be employed. Fresh objects so prepared require to be examined with a considerable magnifying power (400 to 800 diameters). From a series of specimens between 30 and 40 hours old all the points we have mentioned in Chapter rv. p. 92, can without much difficulty be observed. Especial attention should be paid in the earlier specimens to the masses of nuclei enveloped in pro- toplasm and connected with each other by proto- 460 PRACTICAL DIRECTIONS. [APP. plasmic processes; and in the later stages to the breaking up of these masses into blood corpuscles and the conversion of the protoplasmic processes into capillaries, with cellular walls. Blastoderms treated in the following ways may be used to corroborate the observations made. on the fresh ones. With gold chloride. Immerse the blastoderm in gold chloride (‘5 p.c.) for one minute and then wash with distilled water and mount in glycerine and examine. By this method of preparation, the nuclei and protoplasmic processes are rendered more distinct, without the whole being rendered too opaque for observation. The blastoderm after the application of the gold chloride should become a pale straw colour; if it becomes in the least purple, the reagent has been applied for too long a time. With potassium bichromate. Immerse in a 1 p.c. solution for one day and then mount in glycerine. With osmic acid. Immerse in a ‘5 p.c. solution for half an hour and then in absolute alcohol for a day, and finally mount in glycerine. PRACTICAL DIRECTIONS FOR OBTAINING AND STUDYING MAMMALIAN EMBRYOS. XI. Animals and breeding. For class work the Rabbit is the most convenient animal from which to obtain embryos, it will breed APP, | XII. MAMMALIAN SEGMENTING OVA. 461 freely in the early spring months of the year and will give ample opportunity for the student to observe the exact time when the female is covered. A number of does should be kept together in a large pen, and two or three bucks in separate small cages also placed within the pen ; at the period of heat, the doe should be temporarily placed with the buck and the exact time of copulation noted, the age of the embryo being calculated from that hour. Examination of segmenting ova. It will be well to mention here that although a doe may have been satisfactorily covered, embryos are not always obtained from her. A superficial examination of the ovaries will determine whether or no fertilized ova are present. If ova have been recently dehisced from the ovary, the Graafian follicles from which they were discharged will be found to be of a distinctly red colour. In case no such ‘ corpora lutea’ as they are called are present further search is useless. To obtain ova from 1 to 60 hours old. Cut open the abdomen from pubis to sternum, and from the pubis round the thigh of each side, and turn back the flaps of the body wall so formed. Remove the viscera and observe below (dorsal) the single median vagina, from the anterior end of which the uterine horns diverge. Observe at the anterior end of each uterine horn a small much coiled tube, the oviduct (Fallopian tube) near the anterior end of which a little below the kidney lies the ovary. Cut out the uterus and oviduct together and lay them in a small dissecting PRACTICAL DIRECTIONS. [APP. dish. Carefully stretch out the oviduct by cutting the tissue which binds it, and separating it from the uterus, taking care to obtain its whole length, lay it upon a glass slide. With the aid of a lens it is frequently possible to distinguish the ovum or ova, through the wall of the oviduct. In this case cut a transverse slit into the lumen of the duct with a fine pair of scissors a little to one side of an ovum; press with a needle upon the oviduct on the other side of the ovum, which will glide out through the slit, and can be with ease trans- ported upon the point of a small scalpel, or what is better spear-headed needle. In case the ovum cannot be distinguished in the oviduct by superficial obser- vation, the latter must be slit up with a fine pair of scissors, when it will easily be seen with the aid of an ordinary dissecting lens. Treatment of the ovum. The ovum may be examined fresh in salt solution, it is however more instructive when preserved and stained in the following manner. a. Immerse it in a 4 p.c. solution of osmic acid for 5 or even 10 minutes, transfer it thence to the picrocarmine solution described above (I). After staining the ovum should then be washed in distilled water and placed in a weak solu- tion of glycerine in a watch-glass—half gly- cerine, half water. It should be allowed to remain thus under a bell jar for several days (7 to 14 or longer) in a warm room until the water has evaporated. By this means shrinkage and distortion are avoided, the glycerine becoming APP. | EXAMINATION OF OVUM. 463 very gradually more and more dense. It should be mounted in glycerine in which 1 p.c. formic acid has been mixed to prevent fungoid growths. Care must be taken that there is no pressure upon the ovum this being insured by the inser- tion of a couple of slips of paper one on each side of the ovum under the cover glass. Another method of preservation is used, but does not appear to us so successful as the one already described. It consists of an immersion of the ovum for 5 minutes in + to } p.c. osmic acid, subsequent treatment with Miiller’s fluid for two or three days, and finally mounting in glycerine. C. Examination of the ovum. bo a. b. The most instructive stages to observe are ova of 18 hours old, when four segmentation spheres will be observed. 36 hours old when the segmentation is more advanced and the spheres numerous. The chief points to be noted are :— The number and size of the segmentation spheres ; in each of which, when treated as described in B. a., a large deeply stained nucleus will be visible. The spheres themselves are also stained slightly. The presence of one or two polar bodies on the outer side of the segments in ova of not more than 48 hours old: these also are slightly stained. The zona radiata immediately surrounding the segments, and The thick albuminous coat, marked with con- centric rings. 464 PRACTICAL DIRECTIONS. [ App. D. The fully segmented ovum. 70 hours old. The fully segmented ovum is found in the uterus at its anterior end close to the place where the oviduct opens into the uterus. To obtain this stage the uterus must be slit open and examined carefully with a dissecting lens: the ovum will be seen as a somewhat opaque spot on the glistening moist mucous epithelium of the uterus. It may be treated in the manner described under B. a, but the segments being closely pressed to- gether their outlines are not rendered distinct by this method. A more advantageous mode of treatment is the following: wash the ovum rapidly in distilled water, and place it in a 1 p.c. solution of silver nitrate for about 3 minutes: then expose it to the light in a dish of distilled water until it be tinged a brown colour. The brown colour is due to the reduction of the silver, which takes place chiefly in the cement sub- stance between the cells and thus defines very exactly their size and shape. The ovum may now be treated with glycerine and mounted as described in B. The points to be observed are :— The division of the segmentation spheres into the layers—an outer layer of cubical hyaline cells, and an inner of rounded granular cells. The blastopore of van Beneden. The presence of a thin layer of mucous outside the concentrically ringed albuminous coat of the ovum, APP. | BLASTODERMIC VESICLE. 465 XIII. Examination of the blastodermic vesicle, 72—90 hours. A. To obtain the embryo see XII. D. B. Prepare the ovum either as in XII. B. or D. or in picric acid see I. B. 1. C. Surface view, or in section see I. B. 3. Observe :— 1. The great increase in size of the ovum and the reduction in the thickness of the membranes, 2. The flattened layer of outer cells enclosing a cavity. 3. The rounded cells of the inner mass attached as a lens-shaped mass to one side of the vesicle. XIV. Examination of a blastodermic vesicle of 7 days, in which the embryonic area and primitive streak are present. A. To obtain the embryo. On opening the body cavity the uterus will be found to be uniformly swollen and very vascular. Remove the uterus and open it carefully with fine scissors along the free, non-mesometric edge, taking care to keep the point of the scissors within the uterus close against its wall. Observe 1. The oval thin-walled vesicles lying at intervals on the walls of the uterus. 2. The presence of the pyriform embryonic area, at the posterior end of which is seen the primitive streak. F. & B. 30 466 PRACTICAL DIRECTIONS. [APP. 3. The commencement of the area vasculosa around the hind end of the area. This is seen better after treatment with picric acid. B. Treatment and Examination of the embryo. a. Preserve the vesicle in picric see L B 1. Stain in haematoxylin, cut out the embryonic area, leaving a considerable margin, imbed and cut into sections. 6. In transverse sections observe :— 1. At the anterior end of the area the single row of columnar epiblast and the single row of flattened hypoblast cells. 2. Immediately in front of the primitive streak be- tween these two layers a few irregularly shaped mesoblast cells. 3. Through the middle of the primitive streak, a. Several layers of rounded mesoblast cells attached to, and continuous with, the epiblast in the middle line, and stretching out laterally beyond the edge of the area. b. 89; of third day, 167; auricles, 259—262; ventricles, 260—262 ; auricular septum, 257—262; ventricular septum, 257 ; canalis reuniens, 257—259; bulbus ar- teriosus, 257—262; foramen ovale, 262—264; Eustachian valve, 263—264; circulation in, 263—264; structure of, 287— 289, 293—297; résumé of, 299 —30 tient oe mammals, 329; struc- ture of, 331; formation of, 406; comparison of, with birds, 407 Hemiazygos vein, mammalia, 412 Hen: formation of albumen in, 16; ovarian follicle of, 12—15 ; mesovarium of, 11; ovary of, Ir; ovarian ovum of, 11, 153 oviduct of, 15; epoophoron, paroophoron and oviduct, 224 INDEX. Hen’s egg, albumen of, 3, 16; blastoderm, y—10, 26, 27: chalaze, 4; cicatricula, 4; im- pregnation of, 17; laying of, 17; polar bodies of, 17; seg- mentation of, 18—24; vitelline membrane of, 4, 13—15; yolk of, 4—y7; chorion of, 47; shell of, 1, 16; irregular develop- ment of, 48, 49; segmentation, cavity of, 50 Hepatic cylinders of chick, 179; circulation of chick, 227; veins, 288—290 Hind brain: of chick, 100; of rabbit, 329 ; of mammals, and birds, 367—370; medulla of, 367; cerebellum of, 367—370 Hippo-campus major, mammalia, 80 ee saceaninal fissure of cerebrum of mammalia, 385 Histological difierentiation, in chick, 269—273; of epiblast, 269, 271; of hypoblast, 269; of mesoblast, 269 Histology of placenta, 359 Holoblastic segmentation, 307 Human embryo: villi of, 335; early stages of, 335; allantois of, 336—340; yolk-sac of, 336— 340; medullary plate of, 337; amnion of, 338—340; cranial flexure of, 338—340; limbs of, 339; body flexure of, 339— 340; face of, 340; relation of, with other mammals, 341 ; pla- centa of, 355 Human ovum, size of, 307 Human placenta, histology of, 363; derivation of, 364 Humerus, chick, 234 Hyaloid membrane, chick, 144, 146 Hyoid arch of chick, 243245; of rabbit, 334; of mammalia, 403—404 : Hyoid bone of chick, 245 Hypoblast of chick: formation of, 25, 51,59; derivation of, 26; of area opaca, 65; histological INDEX. differentiation of, 269; of di- gestive canal, 272; of respira- tory ducts, 272; of allantois, 273; notochordal, 273 Hypoblast of rabbit embryo, 316, B20, 417 Hypoblastic mesoblast of chick, 59—62; of mammal, 321 Hypogastrie veins: chick, 289; mammalia, 411—413 Hypohyal, mammalia, 403 Hypophysis cerebri (see Pituitary body) Hyrax, placenta of, 358 I Tleum, chick, 234 Iliac veins, mammalia, 411—413 Imbedding, methods of, 432—434 Impregnation of hen’s egg, 17; of ovum of mammal, 310—312 Incubators, makers of, and how to manage, 423 Incus, mammulia, 398, 404 Inferior cardinal veins, chick, 228 Infundibulum: chick, rrg—r213; ventricle of, 373; tuber cinereum of, 373; of mammalia, 372; of birds, 372 Inner mass of segmented ovum, 3143 of blastodermic vesicle, 314 Innominate artery of chick, 296— 8 Insectivora, placenta of, 353 Intercostal veins, mammalia, 41I—413 Interhyal ligament, 403 Intermediate cell mass of chick, 95, 189, 190 Internal carotid artery, chick, 225 Inter-nasal plate, chick, 240 Inter-orbital plate of chick, 240 Intervertebral ligaments, mam- malia, 400 Intervertebral regions, chick, 207, 20! Intestine, mammalia, 419 Inversion of the layers, 341 479 Ischium, chick, 234 Island of Reil, 385 Iter a tertio ad quartum ventricu- lum, 121, 370 J Jugal bones, chick, 246 Jugular vein, 284—290 K Kidney : of chick, 218—220; tu- bules of, 219; of mammalia, 4l4 L Labia majora, mammalia, 416 Lacrymal bones, chick, 246; ducts, chick, 155, 156; glands, chick, 155, 156; groove, chick, 248; duct, mammalia, 390 Lagena, chick, 159; birds, 397, 398 Tien dorsalis of chick, 29, 62 Lamina spiralis, mammalia, 397 Lamina terminalis, mammalia, eee intestine of chick, 174 Larynx of chick, 177 Lateral folds of blastoderm of chick, 37; of chick of second day, 9 Lateral plates of mesoblast, 68 Lateral ventricles of chick, 117 ; of mammalia, 377; cornua of, 378 Laying of eggs, 17 Lecithin, 6 Legs of chick, 200 Lens, chick, formation of, 134, 149 Pees Ligamenta suspensoria, of birds, 210 Ligamentum, pectinatum, 144; vesice medium, 351 Ligamentum longitudinale an- terius and posterius,mammalia, 402 480 Limbs, of chick, 198—200, 2333 of rabbit, 334; of human em- bryo, 339 5 mammalia, 406 Liver of chick, 178—181 ; mam- malia, 41 Lumbar veins, mammalia, 412— 413 Lungs of chick, 176—178, 267 5 mammalia, 418 M Male pronucleus, 17 Malleus, 398, 404 Malpighian corpuscles, chick, 182 ; bodies of chick, 190 Mammalia, two periods of develop- ment, 308; viviparous, 308 Mammary glands, 366; a source of nutriment for the embryo, 308 Man (see Human embryo) Mandible, chick, 246 Mandibular arch, chick, 242— 244; maxillary process of, chick, 243; rabbit, 334; mam- malia, 403—404 Manubrium of malleus, 403 Marsupialia, footal membranes of, 352 Marsupium, 308 Maturation of ovum of mammal, 10 Marxilla bones, chick, 246 Maxilla-palatine bones, chick, 246 Maxillary, processes of mandibu- lar arch of chick, 243 Meatus auditorius externus, of chick, 166; of mammal, 397 Meatus venosus, of chick, 169, 287 Meckelean cartilage, chick, 244; mammalia, 403 Medulla oblongata, of chick, 122; of mammalia, 367 Medullary canal, of chick, 40, 62, 6 etillairy folds, of chick, 40, 62, 66 77,97; of mammal, 327 INDEX. Medullary groove, of chick, 209, 62—65; of rabbit, 320, 321; of man, 338; closure of, in mammal, 327—33! Medullary plate, of chick, 62; of rabbit, 320; of man, 338 — Membrana capsulo pupillaris of mammalia, 387—389 Membrana limitans externa, 145; granulosa, 310 Membrana propria of follicles, chick, 182 Membrane: of shell of hen’s egg, 1; serous, of chick, 32—41; vitelline of hen’s egg, 13—15 Membrane bones, 242; of skull, chick, 246 Membrane of Reissner, mamma- lia, 397 Membrane of Descemet, 389 Membrane of Corti, and tectoria mammalia, 395 Membranous labyrinth, 158 Meniscus of birds, 210 Meroblastic segmentation, 18 Mesenteric veins of chick, 228, 288—290 Mesentery, of chick, 173; mam- malia, 419—20 Mesoblast: derivatives of,in chick, 25—26; of primitive streak of chick, 54, 57; derived from lower layer cells in chick, 55, 57, 59; of area opaca in chick, 65; splitting of, in chick, 68; of trunk of embryo chick, 185— 18g; histological differentiation of, in chick, 269; of primitive streak of rabbit, 320; of mam- mal, double origin of, 321— 3233 vertebral zone of, 328; lateral zone of, 3283; somites of, 328 Mesoblastic somites, formation of in chick, 70; of chick, 81, 1:85— 187, 204—208 Mesocardium of chick, 88; forma- tion of, 264 Mesogastrium, chick, 182 Mesonephros of chick, 212 chick, INDEX. Mesovarium of fowl, 11 Metacarpus, chick, 234 Metadiscoidal placenta, histology of, 362; derivation of, 364 Metamorphosis of arterial arches, bird and mammalia, 408 Metanephos (see Kidney) Metanephric blastema, of chick, ar Higoiensss and makers of, 434 4353 471 Mid brain: of chick, 100, 200; of rabbit, 329; of mammalia, 370 37 3 ventricle of, 370; nates and testes of, 371; corpora geniculata, and crura cerebri of, 372 Monotremata, foetal membranes of, 352 Mouse, inversion of the layers in, I Mouth, chick, 249, 281; of rabbit, formation of, 334 Miillerian duct: chick, 214—218; mammalia, 414—415 Muscle plates of chick, 187—189, 204—208, 211; segmentation of, 212 Muscles: hyposkeletal, chick, 211 ; episkeletal, chick, 211; cuta- neous, chick, 211; extrinsic and intrinsic of limb, chick, 212 Muscular walls of heart of chick, 88 N Nails, of chick, 283 Nares : posterior, chick, 251; an- terior and posterior, of mam- malia, 399 Nasal capsule, chick, 242; car- tilages, chick, 246; bones, chick, 246; groove, chick, 246; pro- cesses of chick, inner, 248; outer, 248; labyrinth, chick, 249— 51 Nasal organ (see Olfactory organ) Nasal pits, of birds, 71; chick, 202 Nates of mammalia, 371 F. & B. 481 Nerves, of chick of second day, 101; of mammalia, 400 Nervous system of mammalia, 367—400 Neural band, chick, 123; crest, 126 Neural canal of chick, 31—39, 66; second and third day, 122; de- velopment of, 251—256 Neurenteric canal, of chick, 71— 74, 1753 mammalia, 399; of mole, 326, 328 Ninth nerve, chick, 126—129, 203 Node of Hensen, 319 Non-deciduate placenta, 252 Nose, chick, 249 Nostrils, chick, 251 Notochord: of chick, 29, 60—62, 208—210, 237—238; of second day, 101; sheath of chick, 208, of mammal, 323, 400; forma- tion of, 325 Nuclei, 16 Nucleolus, 13 Nucleus, 13 Nucleus of Pander, 7 Nucleus pulposus, of birds, 210, OL Nuiction of mammalian embryo: 308; by means of placenta, 350 0 Occipital: supra-, basi-, ex-, of chick, 246; foramen, chick, 237 CGsophagus of chick, 173 ; mam- malia, 418 Olfactory organ of chick, 161; nerve of chick, 162; grooves, chick, 202; lobes of mammalia, 385 Olivary bodies, 368 Omentum, mammalia, lesser, 420; greater, 420 Opisthotic of chick, 246 Optic vesicles: of chick of second day, 79, 97; chick, 133—134: formation of, 141—144; of rabbit, 329 31 482 Optic lobes, chick, 121 Optie nerves, chick, 133, 146 Optic cup, 134 Optic chiasma, chick, 147; mam- malia, 372 Optic thalami of mammalia, 373 Orbitosphenoid, 246 Orbitosphenoidal region, chick, 240 Organ of Corti, mammalia, 395 Organ of Jacobson, mammalia, Oe cteropas: placenta of, 358 Osmic acid, how to use, 427 Osseous labyrinth, chick, 158 Otic vesicle, chick, 157 Outer layer, of blastodermic vesi- cle, 314 Ova, primordial, of chick, 221 Ovarian follicle: of hen, 12—15 ; mammal, 309 Ovarian ovum: of hen, r1—153 of mammals, 309 Ovary: of adult hen, 11; of chick, 222; of mammals, 309; follicles of, 309; corpus luteum of, 311 Oviduct of adult hen, 15; of chick, 224 Oviparous animals, 308 Ovum: of birds and mammals compared, 307; of mammal— in follicle, 309 ; membranes of, 310; maturation and impreg- nation of, 310—312; polar bodies of, 311; segmentation of, 312—314; blastopore of (Beneden), 314 P Palate, mammalia, 420, 421 Palatine bones, chick, 246 Pancreas: of chick, 181; mam- malia, 419 Pander, nucleus of, 7. Parachordals, chick, 235—238 Paraffin, 432—434 Parepididymis of cock, 224 Parietal bones of chick, 246 INDEX. Parieto-occipital fissure of cere- brum of man and apes, 385 PargeER on the fowl’s skull, 245 Paroophoron of hen, 224 Pecten, chick, 147 Pectoral girdle, chick, 234; mam- malia, 405 Pelvic girdle, chick, 234; mam- malia, 405 Penis, mammalia, 417 Pericardial cavity, chick, develop- ment of, 264—269; of rabbit, 331; mammalia, 406 Perilymph, mammalia, 396 Periotic capsules, chick, 237 Peritoneal covering of heart of chick, 88; cavity, mammalia, 406 Peritoneum, mammalia, 419—420 Pruucer, egg tubes, 222 Phalanges, chick, 234 Pharynx, mammalia, 418 Picric acid, how to use, 425 Picro-carmine, to make and use, I Pig? placenta, histology of, 360 Pineal glands, chick, 117—119; ace and birds, 373— 7 Pituitary body: chick, 119—121; rabbit, 334; of birds, 372; mammalia, 372, 420 Pituitary space, chick, 240 Placenta: 342; discoidal, deci- duate, type of, 353, 354; meta- discoidal, type of, 354—358; decidua of, 356; chorion leve of, 356—358; chorion frondo- sum of, 356—358; comparison of, 358; zonary type of, 358; diffuse form, 359; polycotyle- donary form, 359; histology of, 359-—303 ; evolution of, 364; of sloth, 360. Pleural cavity, chick, development of, 264—269; mammalia, 406 Pleuroperitoneal space of chick, 28—33, 84; formation of, 40, I, Bacievsasebria nerve (see Tenth nerve) INDEX. Polar bodies, 17; of ova of mam- mals, 211 Polycotyledonary placenta, 359; histology of, 360 Pons Varolii of birds, 369; of mammals, 370 Position of embryo chick of third and fourth days, 113116 Postanal gut, of chick, 175; of rabbit, relation of, to primitive streak, 329 Posterior nares, chick, 202 Potassium bichromate, 460 Premaxilla bones, chick, 246 Prenasal bones of chick, 246 Presphenoid region, chick, 240— 246 Primitive groove of chick, 56; of rabbit, 320 Primitive streak of chick, 52—62; of chick from 20 to 24 hours, yo; of rabbit, 319 Processus infundibuli, chick, 121 Proctodeum of chick, 175; of mammal, 422 Pronephros, 218 Pronucleus, female, 17; male, 17 Prootic, chick, 246 Protovertebrea (see Mesoblastic somites) Pterygo-palatine bar, chick, 243 Pterygoid bones, chick, 246 Pubis, chick, 234 Pulmonary veins of chick, 228, 289—290 Pulmonary arteries of chick, 294— 298; mammalia, 407 Pupil, chick, 142 Pyramids of cerebellum, 368 Q Quadrato-jugal bones, 246 Quadrate, chick, 243 R Rabbit embryo, growth of, 327— 3343 Placenta of, 353 Radius, chick, 234 : 483 Rat, inversion of the layers in, I Berean labyrinthi, mammalia, 390-398 Recessus vestibuli (see Aqueductus vestibuli) chick, 203 Respiration of chick, 303; of third day, 110 Rete vasculosum, mammalia, 414 Retina, chick, 142, 144—146 Ribs, chick, 234; mammalia, 405 Rodentia, placenta of, 353 Rods and cones of retina, chick, 14! Rostrum, chick, 246 Ruminants’ placenta, histology of, 360 o Vv Sacculus hemisphericus, mam- malia, 390—398 Salivary glands, mammalia, 420 Scala media (see Cochlear canal) Scala tympani, mammalia, 395— B90 ae as : Scala vestibuli, mammalia, 395— 3 Seapule of chick, 234 Sclerotic coat of eye of chick, 141 Sclerotic capsules, mammalia, 405 Scrotum, mammalia, 416 Sebaceous glands, 366 Secondary optic vesicle (see Optic cup) Sections, method of cutting, 434 —436; mounting of, 436 Segmentation: of hen’s egg, 18 —24; meroblastic, 18; of mam- malian ovum, 312—314; of hen’s egg to observe, 458; of mammalian ovum to observe, 61 Getatetiiatar canal: of chick, 158; mammalia, 390—398 Semi-lunar valves, chick, 258 Sense capsules of chick, 211—212 Septum lucidum, mammalia, 383 Septum-nasi, chick, 246 Serous membrane of chick, 32— 41 484 Serous envelope of chick, 107; of mammals, 346 Seventh nerve of chick, 127—129, 203 Shell-membrane of chick, 1 Shell of hen’s egg, 1; formation of, 16 Shield, embryonic, of chick, 49 Sinus rhomboidalis: of embryo chick, 71, 81; of rabbit, 329 Sinus terminalis, of chick of second day, 91, 104; in rabbit, gues venosus of chick, 169, 226, 285—290 Skeleton of limb, chick, 234 Skull of chick, 235—251; cartilage and membrane bones of, 246; of mammalia, 401—405 Sloth, placenta, histology of, 360 Somatic stalk of chick, 29—42; of mammals, 351 Somatopleure of chick, 29—33; formation of, 40—41, 68 Spermatozoa of chick, 223 Spinal nerves: of chick, 123; de- velopment of, 129—132; of mammalia, 400 Spinal cord of chick: develop- ment of, 251—256 ; white mat- ter of, 252; grey matter of, 253; canal of, 252—256; epi- thelium of, 251, 252; anterior grey commissure of, 256; an- terior fissure of, 254—256; dorsal fissure of, 255—256; posterior grey commissure of, 286; sinus rhomboidalis of, 256; anterior columns of, 256; posterior columns of, 256; lateral columns of, 256; an- terior white commissure of, 2586; posterior white commis- sure of, 256 Splanchnic stalk of chick, 29— 42, 232 Splanchnopleure of chick, 29— 33 3 formation of, 4o—42, 68 Spleen of chick, 182 Splint bones of chick, 246 Squamosal bones of chick, 246 INDEX. Staining reagents, 428—4323 he- matoxylin, 429; borax carmine, 430; carmine, 431; picro-car- mine, 431; alum carmine, 431 Stapes, of chick, 245; mammalia, 398; 404, r Sternum of chick, 235; of mam- malia, 405 , Stomach of chick, 173; mam- malia, 418 Stomodeum, of chick, 119, 203; mammalia, 420 Stria vascularis, mammalia, 397 Subclavian arteries of chick, 296 —298, of mammalia, 409 Subclavian veins, mammalia, 409 —413 Sulcus of Monro, 373 Superior maxilla of chick, 165 ; maxillary processes of hick, 202; of rabbit, 334 Superior cardinal veins of chick, 228 Supra-renal bodies, mammalia, structure of, 413; relation of, with sympathetic nervous sys- tem, 414 Subzonal membrane of mammal, 34! Sylvian fissure, mammalia, 384, 385 Sympathetic nervous system of mammalia, 400 Sweat-glands, 366 T. Tail-fold of chick, 29—37, 196; of second day, 96; of mammal, 32 Tatl awelling of chick, 74 Tarsus of chick, 234 Teeth, mammalia, 421 Tela choroidea, 375 Tenth nerve of chick, 125, 127— 129, 203 Testis of chick, 222, 371 Thalamencephalon: of chick, 117; ofmammalia, 371—376 ; ventricle of, 372; floor of, 342, INDEX. ates te of, 373; roof of, 374 —37 Third nerve of chick, 129 Third ventricle of mammalia, 372 Throat of rabbit, formation of, 331 Thyroid body, of chick, 181; mammailia, 418 Tibia of chick, 234 Tongue of chick, 282 Trabecule of chick,236, 239—241 Trachea of chick, 176, 177 ; mam- malia, 418 Tuber cinereum, 373 Turbinal bones of chick, 246 Tympanic cavity of chick, 166; membrane of chick, 166 ; cavity of mammalia, 397, 418; mem- brane of mammalia, 397 Uz Ulna, of chick, 234 Umbilical, arteries (see Allantoic); veins (see Allantoic Heol vesi- cle of mammals (see Yolk-sac) ; stalk of chick of third day, 113; cord, 351 Urachus, 351 Ureter of chick, 219; mammalia, 417 Urethra, mammalia, 417 Urinogenital organs of mam- malia, 414—417; sinus of mam- malia, 415—417 Uterine crypts, 350 Uterus, mammalia, 415 Uiriculus of mammalia, 393—398 Uvea of iris, chick, 144 V. Valve of Vieussens, of birds, 369; of mammals, 370 Vagina mammalia, 415 Vagus nerve (see Tenth nerve) Vasa efferentia and recta mam- malia, 414 Vascular system of chick, 224— 230; of second day, 89—94, 102 485 —106 ; of third day, 167—170; mammalia, 406—413 Vascular area: of blastoderm of chick, 27; of third day, rro— 113; of rabbit’s ovum, forma- tion of, 326 Vas deferens: of cock, 224; mam- malia, 415 Velum medulle anterius (see Valve of Vieussens) ; posterius, 370 i Vermiform appendix, mammalia, 41 Tou. cava, inferior, of chick, 228, 285—290; mammalia, 4og— 413 Venx cave, superior, of chick, 286—290; of mammalia, 409 —413 Vensz advehentes of chick, 227, 287—289; revehentes of chick, 227, 287—289 Vena terminalis (see Sinus termi- nalis) Venous system: of chick, 226— 229, 283—290, 301—303; mam- malia, 409—413 Ventricles of brain of chick of second day, 102; of mammals, 117, 121—1223; of chick, 229 Ventricular septum, chick, 230, 2 Verbs of chick, primary, 205 —208; permanent, 205—208; bodies of, 207—209 Vertebral arches, osseous, of chick, 207, 210; mammalia, 409 : Vertebral artery of chick, 295— 298 Vertebral column, of chick, 205— 208 ; membranous, 205—208; secondary segmentation of, 205 —208 ; explanation of do., 205 —206; of mammalia, early de- velopment, ossification of, 400, 401 Vertebrate animal, general struc- ture of, 39 Vesicle of third ventricle (see Thalamencephalon) 486 Vessels of placenta, 360—363 Vestibule, chick, 158 Vili: of human ovum, 335; of zona in dog, 347; of subzonal membrane of rabbit, 347; of chorion of mammal, 349; of placenta, 360— 363 Visceral arches, 245; of rabbit, 334 Visceral arches of chick, 162—167; of rabbit, 334; of mammalia, 402 Visceral clefts: of chick, 162— 167, 281; closure of do., 164; of rabbit, 334; of mammalia, 402, 418 Visceral folds of chick, 163 Visceral skeleton of chick, 242 —246 Visdoual vein of chick, 284—290 ; of mammalia, 409—413 Vitellin, 5 Vitelline arteries: of chick, 167, 293—298, 225; of second day, 89, 103 Vitelline duct of chick, 196, 232; of mammals, 350 Vitelline membrane, 4; of hen’s egg, 13—15; of mammal, 310 Vitelline veins of chick, 84, 226. 288—290; of second day, 92, 104; in rabbit, 343; of mam- malia, 410—413 Vitreous humour of chick, 140, 150 INDEX. Viviparous animals, 308 Vomer of chick, 246 Ww White matter: of spinal cord of chick, 252; of brain of mam- malia, 386—387 Wings of chick, 200 Wolffian body: of chick, r90— 193 3 of mammalia, 414; of chick of second day, 106 Wolffian duct of chick, 190, 213; of second day, 94—95, 106; of mammalia, 414 Wolffian ridge of chick, 198 Wolffian tubules of chick, 106, IgI—193, 213 Y Yolk of hen’s egg, 4—7; arrange- ment of, 6; structure of, 5 Yolk-sac: of chick, 28—37, 277— 280; of mammals, 327; of marsupials, 352; of rabbit, 353; of human ovum, 355—358; of. dog, 358 Z Zona radiata, 310; of chick, 15 Zonary placenta: histology of, 360; derivation of, 364 CAMBRIDGE: PRINTED BY C, J. CLAY, M.A. AND SONS, AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS.