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VOL. IV. | Recent Literature. 3 
zoid are cytoplasmic, while the whole of the large posterior coils 
is nuclear. The vesicle always attached to these is supposed to 
be homologous with the posterior part of the body of the sperma- 
tozoid of Chara, or the granular hinder part of the body of a 
zoospore. | 
While he was unable to demonstrate it, he considers it 
extremely probable that the kinoplasm of the forward part of the 
spermatozoid contains the centrosomes which are thus transferred 
to the egg. 
In regard to the part which each element plays in the act of 
fertilization, Strasburger comes to the conclusion that, as Weis- 
mann believes, the nuclei are the direct agents of hereditary trans- 
mission. As to the centrospheres and kinoplasm, the former are 
supposed by our author to represent “ the kinetic centres from 
which the impulses for. nuclear division, and to a certain extent 
for cell-division, proceed.’’ The kinoplasm ‘* we consider as the 
conducting substance for the impulses that radiate from nucleus 
and centrospheres, and represents the specific motile element in 
the protoplasm.’’ With each cell-division this kinoplasm is 
supposed also to divide. aie 
The name proposed by Sachs, ‘‘ Energid,” is adopted for that 
unit composed of nucleus, centrospheres, and kinoplasm. 
He is inclined to give up the view that in the resting nucleus 
the segments are separated, and to adopt his earlier view that 
they anastomose so as to form a net-work with no free ends. As 
an argument against the autonomy of the segments in the resting 
nucleus, the sudden change in their number which sometimes 
occurs is cited. 
The conclusion finally reached is that the essence of fertiliza- 
tion consists of the introduction into the ‘‘entwicklungstihig ”’ 
egg of the active “ energid ” through which the rapid division of 
the evg is inaugurated. 
se . Doucias H. CAMPBELL. 
