EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL ON GERM CELLS OF FUNDULUS. 



393 



IV. TREATMENT OF MALE GERM CELLS. 

 i . Length of Life of the Sperm of Fundulus. 



As has already been stated the length of life of the sperm of 

 Fundulus after being stripped into sea water is surprisingly short. 

 Newman ('06) has recorded that there is a definite spawning 

 act in the breeding behavior; and in the light of this fact, the 

 adaptiveness of this brief span of life is more readily understood. 

 In this spawning act the copulating pair are in such position 



FIG. 14. An embryo eleven days old which was treated twenty-five minutes 

 after fertilization for fifteen minutes with dilute alkali solution (0.6 c.c. 7V/io NaOH 

 plus 50 c.c. sea water). A cyclopean monster, embryo twisted and short, with 

 heart beat, and no circulation. 



FIG. 15. A sixteen-day embryo developing from egg which was fertilized by 

 sperm treated with fifteen per cent, alcohol in distilled water for three minutes, 

 and afterwards activated with a weak alkali solution (0.6 c.c. N/io NaOH plus 

 50 c.c. sea water). Microphthalmic monster, deformed in shape, yolk sac im- 

 perfectly absorbed, heart beat with no circulation. 



that immediately upon the extrusion of the eggs the synchronous 

 rhythmic discharge of the milt from the male occurs, and this 

 places the spermatozoa in direct contact with the eggs to be fer- 

 tilized. 



It was necessary at the outset of a series of experiments of the 

 character herein discussed to study the length of life of the sperm 

 in various solutions. From the accompanying table (see Table 

 V.) it will be noted that the duration of activity in a small drop 

 one tenth of a cubic centimeter of distilled water is about one 



