EFFECTS OF INJURY UPON SPERM. 231 



failed to segment after jelly formation and maturation or which 

 failed to segment more than once. There was in all cases a 

 strong tendency for the experimental cultures to die earlier, to 

 be less active, and to contain forms which were abnormal in 

 body form or in setae formation. Permanent trochophores were 

 also common. 



In this set seven experiments were completed, involving in 

 the neighborhood of a hundred cultures. Several slightly 

 different methods of procedure were used but the results in all 

 cases were similar to those cited above. An extra control was 

 carried in each experiment. This consisted of eggs and normal 

 sperm to which was added at the time of insemination as much 

 alcohol as was transferred to the experimental cultures along 

 with the sperm used in insemination. In no case did this small 

 quantity of alcohol cause this control to develop in an abnormal 

 manner. This indicates that the abnormalities seen in the 

 experimental cultures were not due to the presence of such 

 minute quantities of alcohol in the egg culture. 



5. Sodium Hydroxide. In this group but few experiments 

 were made. The sperm cells were exposed to the influence of 

 different strengths of NaOH for a period of 20 minutes. The 

 solutions used were made up by adding to 10 c.c. of sea water a 

 certain number of drops of 0.75 per cent. NaOH solution. After 

 exposure to one of these mixtures for 20 minutes the sperm cells 

 were used for inseminating fresh eggs. Three controls were 

 carried. The first, eggs only, showed no change. The second, 

 eggs and normal sperm, developed in the usual manner. To the 

 third, similar in composition to the second, was added the same 

 amount of NaOH solution that was carried over to the eggs by 

 the sperm in the experiment 40.4. This likewise developed in 

 normal fashion, thus demonstrating that the trace of alkali 

 necessarily introduced in the process of insemination of the 

 experimental series was without any apparent effect upon early 

 development. In table I. the results of a typical experiment 

 are given. 



The early history of the experiment was not followed on 

 account of a lack of time. The observed abnormalities were 

 chiefly in the failure of the trochophores to develop, in which 



