E. W. BERGER ON THE CUBOMEDUS^E. 51 



(Fig. 2). Distally, the pigmented part becomes narrowed to a strong 

 pigmentless fiber (Figs. 3, 4, 7). This fiber stains quite dark with 

 iron-haematoxylin and appears homogeneous. It passes between the 

 prisms into the capsule, where it usually bends in a direction toward 

 the margin of the capsule (Fig. 7) and passes diagonally across this 

 to the lens. In sections, a space is often seen about these fibers in the 

 vitreous body, which I regard as a shrinkage space (Figs. 3, 4), since 

 it is not evident in all series (Fig. 1). In Fig. 7, I have assumed that 

 these spaces are due to shrinkage and have not indicated them. Also, 

 in this same figure I have assumed that the spiral appearance of the 

 fibers (Fig. 4) is due to a shortening of the prisms during fixation, 

 and have drawn them straight. At the lens these fibers seem to 

 end. In a few instances they were seen to branch upon reaching 

 the capsule (Fig. 4). In Fig. 9, also, which shows some of these cells 

 from a macerated preparation by Conant, the rods show evidence of 

 branching at their distal terminations. In the same preparation I 

 thought I could see that a fiber became expanded into a membrane 

 spreading over one of the lens-cells. I could not satisfy myself, 

 however, that this was the actual condition of things. Judging from 

 Fig. 9, one might conclude that all the fibers are branched distally; 

 yet, if such were the case I should have seen more of it in sections, 

 but branching as seen in Fig. 4 is the exception. Hence, if all these 

 fibers do branch, I am inclined to believe that it must be among the 

 bases of the lens-cells. Or, if the fibers do expand into membranes to 

 cover the lens-cells (I could not explain purpose), the evidence in 

 Fig. 9 may be nothing more than fragments of this membrane left 

 attached to the ends of the fibers. As is seen in Fig. 7, most of these 

 rods end opposite the cells of the lens, and not usually between two 

 adjacent cells as Schewiakoff has described for Chary bdea marsupialis. 

 The nuclei of these cells are like the nuclei of the pyramid cells (Figs. 

 4, 5, 7, 9) and often have a nucleolus.* Centrad these cells are 

 continued into a number of processes as is seen in Figs. 5, 7 and 9. 

 How far the several centrad processes extend and where they end I 

 cannot say; but, as seen in Fig. 5, they soon taper to a thin end 

 which I suppose may be continuous with a nerve fiber. I believe 

 Schewiakoff was mistaken when he stated that these cells extend to 

 the basement membrane. 



* I have been able to demonstrate nucleoli in all the different nuclei of the 

 cells of the sensory clubs. 



