202 ERNEST AVAEEEN. 



When the life of the gonophore is drawing to a close, and 

 the generative products are nearly ripe, a change takes place 

 in the central bodies. These divide rapidly and form an 

 irregular collection in the central region of the laminated 

 system ; at the same time the innermost layers of lamination 

 become indistinct, and then disappear. The bodies, derived 

 from the splitting up of the central bodies, increase consider- 

 ably in size ; they are rounded in shape, and some of them 

 become conspicuously large (PL XXXIV, figs. 11 and 12, d. h. ; 

 and text-fig. 5 (12), sp.f.). 



Ultimately the whole of the laminated layers of the capsule, 

 except the outer dense layer, and the double sharply defined 

 layer immediately on the inside, disintegrate, and more or 

 less completely disappear (text-fig. 5 {13), d. i.e.). Most of 

 the bodies derived from the splitting up of the central body 

 or bodies also disappear ; but a few persist, ten to twelve for 

 a good-sized capsule, having grown into oval bodies of very 

 fairly constant size and shape. The average size is 3*4 ju in 

 length and 2*5^ in breadth. These bodies may probably 

 be regarded as " spores ;" they are characterised by readily 

 becoming intensely stained wdth hasmatoxylin, while the 

 ordinary central bodies of the capsules do not stain very 

 readily. The " spore " is surrounded by a membrane which 

 appears to be firm, since a constant shape is maintained. 



In PI. XXXIV, fig. 12, the process of "spore-formation" is 

 in progress, and the inner layers are shrinking (see also text- 

 fig. 5 [13) ). Ultimately the capsules become hollow^, and 

 include nothing but a feAv oval "spores" and perhaps the 

 shrunken residue of some of the inner layers (PI. XXXIV, 

 figs. 13 and 14). 



Under the highest magnification I could detect no obvious 

 structure in the " spore " except an outer membrane and a 

 very finely granular interior. 



It may be noticed that in PI. XXXIV, fig. 11, a number of 

 different systems are enclosed in the compact outer envelope.. 

 In two of these spore-formation is beginning {d. h.), wdiile in 

 the other two centres vegetative growth is still continuins-. 



