Autonomy of Vacuoles 155 



swarmer receives into its body a portion divided off from 

 this bubble. 



In the Hterature, an origination of sap-cavities in nu- 

 clei, chromatophores, or even in the granular plasm, out- 

 side the vacuoles already present, has repeatedly been 

 described. But, on investigating these cases, it was found 

 that here one had to deal, not with normal vacuoles, but 

 with pathological formations, which occur with the age- 

 ing or dying of the cell. Frequently they are also due 

 to the influence of the water in which the preparations are 

 examined. ^^ 



From the theory that the vacuoles originate only 

 through division, it may be concluded that the sap-vesicles 

 of germinating seeds are derived from those present in the 

 ripening ovules, and that, therefore, in the ripe condi- 

 tion, the vacuoles must indeed be dried out, but cannot 

 be entirely lacking. Following up this thought Wakker ar- 

 rived at the noteworthy discovery that the aleuron-grains 

 are the dry states of the vacuoles in the seed." During the 

 process of ripening, the amount of protein matter dissolved 

 in the cell-sap gradually increases until the fluid becomes of 

 a thick, slimy consistency. In drying, some of the protein 

 bodies crystallize and form the well known crystalloids, 

 while the remaining protein hardens into an amorphous 

 mass around them. When soaking the seed, these masses 

 soften gradually and are later utilized as nourishment. 

 By using a solution of one part nitric acid in four parts 



^^Went, F. A. F. C. De jongste toestanden der vacuolen, pp. 

 45-65. 



^^Wakker, J. H. Aleuronkorrels zyn vacuolen. Maandbl. r. 

 Naturw., Nr, 5. 1887. Over kristalloiden en andere lichamen die 

 in de cellen van zeuvieren voorkomes. Bot. Cent. 33: 138. 1888, 

 and Juhrb. Wiss. Bot. 19: 423. 1888. Since that time this result 



has been confirmed by Werminski, Ber. Dent. Bot. Ges. 6: 199. 1888. 



