154 GERM-CELL CYCLE IN ANIMALS 



found in my preparations, but in these the chromo- 

 somes are widely separated and consequently easily 

 counted. Apparently there are twelve double rods 

 in each spindle (Fig. 46, H, 7). 



Instead of continuing its activity and forming two 

 daughter nuclei this spindle persists for a long time, 

 undergoing a gradual contraction and condensation. 

 Thus in the stage succeeding that just described the 

 chromatin rods are close together and the entire 

 spindle has decreased in diameter although not in 

 length (Fig. 46, D) . Spindles in this condition are not 

 always parallel to the long axis of the egg but may be 

 oblique or, more rarely, almost perpendicular to this 

 axis. Hence several transverse sections were ob- 

 tained, one of which is illustrated in Fig. 46, 7. 

 Here also is shown a closer proximity of the chromo- 

 somes as compared with the cross section of the 

 younger spindle represented in Fig. 46, H. The 

 number of chromosomes also appears to be constant, 

 namely, twelve. During succeeding stages the 

 spindle continues to shorten and condense. That 

 shown in Fig. 46, E still exhibits spaces between 

 the rods and the presence of only a few spindle fibers. 

 A further contraction is indicated in Fig. 46, F, 

 where the chromosomes have become so closely 

 crowded as to form an apparently solid body in 

 the shape of a cross. This chromatin body still 

 continues to contract as shown in Fig. 46, G, J, and K. 

 At about this time vacuoles begin to appear within it 

 (Fig. 46, K} and its shape becomes more or less irreg- 

 ular, most often assuming a nearly spherical condi- 



