NUCLEI IX THE MYCETOZOA. 533 



3 p.m., 3.45, 4.45, 5.45, 6.10. ]S"uclei with the same appearance 

 as at 12.45. 



6.45. The black stalk had elongated to four times the diameter of 

 the globose sporangia, in which the dense net of capillitium had 

 developed ; nuclei unaltered. 



6.55. The nuclei showed a changed aspect. Instead of containing 

 one to three distinct nucleoli, they had a more uniform appear- 

 ance. Although the objects are so minute that the structure is 

 difficult to make out, they may be presumed to have reached 

 the stage immediately antecedent to that described by Strasburger 

 as the coil. A more definite coil stage was obtained in other series. 



7.15. Nuclear spindles perfectly developed. 



7.35. The two halves of the nuclear plate separating. 



8 p.m. In the greater part of the preparation the spores had 

 formed, each containing a small disk-shaped nucleus ; in one 

 part a less advanced stage appeared ; the plasma was aggregated 

 round the dividing nuclei in masses of two spores' capacity, the 

 daughter-nuclei being widely separated; and elsewhere these 

 masses were constricting to form the spores (PI. XXXVI. 

 fig. 9). A later staining showed the spore-wall forming, with the 

 nucleus globose and increased in size. Next day the remaining 

 sporangia of the gathering had perfectly developed the ripe spores. 



Nov. 28. A cluster of Physarum leucophceum was rising in 

 white knobs on a rotten stump, the stalks not having begun to 

 form ; they were placed under a bell-jar as in the last case, and 

 smears were taken in the same manner. The first preparation was 

 made at the time of gathering. 



10.55 a.m. The nuclei had a loosely reticulated structure and 



contained one to four irregular nucleoli : the plasmodium was 

 charged with refuse matter. 



4.30 p.m. The refuse matter had been discharged from the 

 sporangia and was stored in the short stalks which had now 

 formed. 



5.15, 7.30, 8.30. No marked alteration in the appearance of the 



nuclei. 



9.10. The nuclei had a uniform granular appearance as if the 

 network had broken up into numerous short rods. The pre- 

 paration corresponded with that ofComatricha at 6.55. Numerous 

 darkly-coloured small nuclear bodies were present in the staining. 

 I will refer to these later. 



9.50. The nuclear plate had divided, corresponding with the 



