6 



AKT. 15. — II. OIÎSHIMA : SOME OBSERVATIONS 



At first, soon after its formation in the " Keimlager," the 

 lens-cell is generally flat and stains deep bluish black with 

 iron-hœmatoxylin (PL I. fig. 1, /' //"). In the course of its dis- 

 placement . towards the surface during general growth of the 

 epidermal cells, the contents of the lens-cell undergo a gradual 

 change into a loose and granular matter (Textfig. 3, 1-3), passing 

 through a stage in which it stains brick-red with orange-G, 

 as stated above. The cell is now much swollen, the granular con- 

 tents becoming coarser and looser. When the cell reaches the ex- 

 ternal surface of the epidermis, its contents are ejected leaving 

 the nucleus attached to the cell wall. 



As the rate of 

 growth of the epider- 

 mis is greatest over 

 each organ, the nuclei 

 of the epidermal cells, 

 arranged in a dome- 

 like fashion over it, 

 assume a flattened 

 shape ; while those 

 lying between the 

 organs assume a ver- 

 tical position on ac- 

 count of the rela- 



Fig-. 3. Three successive lens-cells of E. luclfer uuder- 

 tively slow growth of going transformation and change of their course (1, 2, 3). 



X 400. D young dermal denticle, L luminous organ. 



the intervening parts. 



Owing to the same cause, the transformed lens-cells often 

 change their course and at last may come to assume a verti- 

 cal position, with the nucleus attached to the proximal end 

 (Textfig. 3). 





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