M 'CLUNG : SPERMATOCYTE DIVISIONS OF THE LOCUSTID.E. 207 



In rather striking contrast to the work of Montgomery, in 

 which an effort is made to formulate a typical process for the 

 entire Metazoa from the study of a single order, is that of Wil- 

 cox, wherein a general denial of any apparent system in the 

 maturation divisions of animals is based practically upon the 

 study of a single species. As was stated in my former paper, 

 I regard Wilcox entirely in error upon the vital point of his 

 theory of tetrad formation, not by "forced interpretation" of 

 his own views, but by an actual examination of the object upon 

 which he worked There is no point upon which Orthopteran 

 material affords more indisputable evidence than upon the oc- 

 currence of the longitudinal division of the chromatin thread in 

 the early prophase. My statement regarding Wilcox's position 

 on this subject was in no sense "misdirected criticism," but 

 an actual statement of fact; it was not an attempt to explain 

 away "abundant and evident cases which cannot be made to fit 

 into the scheme," but simply the presentation of proof that one 

 case was wrongly interpreted. 



Wilcox claims the distinction of being the first and only in- 

 vestigator to doubt the hypothesis that longitudinal and cross 

 divisions of the chromatic thread produce chromosomes of a 

 different character. It is perhaps well that this is so, in view 

 of the reasoning by which such a distinction is secured. Upon 

 his own unconfirmed and disputed statement that there is no 

 longitudinal division of the spireme, Wilcox presumes to dis- 

 parage the accepted view of practically all cytologists. The 

 constructive thought of the last two decades is summarily dis- 

 posed of by this author in the following language : "The whole 

 question, therefore, whether a certain division is longitudinal 

 or transverse loses its practical significance, since the theoret- 

 ical interpretation which has long been placed upon these divi- 

 sions is shown to be impossible and absurd ! ' The showing 

 alluded to consists in the statement that the chromosomes con- 

 sist of an indefinite number of granules, which cannot be 

 expected to arrange themselves in any order, and which, there- 

 fore, may be divided in any way without affecting the results. 



Laying aside for a moment the question as to the occurrence 

 of a longitudinal division, we may well inquire whether the 

 belief that, "In view of this manner of the formation of the 

 chromosomes (by the aggregation of the chromomeres) , it 



