99 



according as tlic digestion of tlie algao had progressed. So in 

 other words, just as the amoehocyte sloivly digests the other constituent 

 jyarts of the algal cell and makes use of their decomposition-pro- 

 ducts, in the saine iray and at the same time it also digests the 

 olldroplets of the algae, and ivith their products of spUtting (the 

 glycerine and acid) huilds up its own oildroplets. Indeed, we saw 

 (point 3), that very likely the oikiroplets of alga and amoebocyte 

 are not identical! 



From the preceding follows, that we may consider the pro- 

 duction of the splitting-products of the oildroplets (the glycerine 

 and acid) — so probably also the production of the oildroplets 

 themselves (see below) — in the amoebocytes to be direct pro- 

 portional to the number of the algae being digested, in other 

 words, to the sum of the number of colourless algae with and of 

 that without structure. 



The same thing will count also for the production of the carho- 

 hydrate globules, which can be stained broiim by 7; as source of 

 the carbohydrate we must of course accept — there are no such 

 globules in the algae (point 11) — either the dissolved carbo- 

 hydrates and the wall celluloses, or the nucleins, or again the oil- 

 droplets of the algae. (The transmutation of fats into carbohydrates, 

 as well as the reverse, we repeatedly meet in physiology.) 



According to point 9, 10, 14 and 15 the oildroplets and the 

 globules, stainable by I, are even more numerous in the choauo- 

 cytes than in the amoebocytes. From those same points it also 

 appeared, that these oildroplets and globules are not captured 

 from the surrounding water by the choanocytes, and that there 

 is no relation between the number of oildroplets or globules 

 and the number of dead algae in the choanocytes. Therefore it is 

 very likely, that these oildroplets and globules are carried on 

 from the amoebocytes through the „intercellular groundsubstance" 

 to the choanocytes; for the amoebocytes with their constant di- 

 gestion of algae form, as we saw, the true place of production of 

 those corpuscles. But why are these carried on to the choanocytes 

 in such a great number, that they-are even more numerous there 

 than in the amoebocytes? 



