214 CORA J. BECKWITH 



plasm of the young eggs containing the granules, although 

 responding to the test slightly, did so no more strongly than the 

 adult egg in which no granules are present. 



9. Attempts to locate chromatin derivatives in the protoplasm 

 by tests for phosphorus as described by Mann were also tried. 

 These again are useless since Bensley ('06) has recently shown 

 that the standard tests for phosphorus are unreliable. 



To sum up : The balance of the evidence in Hydractinia decided- 

 ly indicates the nonchromatic nature of the granules in question. 

 In all cases which seem to indicate the contrary conclusion (some 

 staining and digestive tests and tests for proteid) the result can 

 be interpreted in some other way. When to this are added the 

 definite results from staining reactions in both fixed and living 

 material and the morphological evidence that has been given 

 above, we are, I think, forced to the conclusion that the granules 

 are not chromatin extruded as such from the nucleus. 



The above conclusions differ decidedly from Schaxel's, which 

 appear to be based on very careful and detailed observations. 

 Whether these conflicting views are due to the different forms 

 studied, or to the fact that the large number of methods of fixa- 

 tion and staining used on Hydractinia has made the nature of 

 the granules more evident, it is impossible to say. Since Hydrac- 

 tinia behaves, when Schaxel's methods are employed, in the same 

 way that his material does, it seems probable that if the above 

 methods were used on the forms studied by Schaxel they would 

 yield similar results. 



G. OTHER ACCOUNTS OF CHROMATIN-EMISSION IN HYDROIDS 



Chromatin in the protoplasm has recently been described by 

 several observers in a number of Hydroids. C. T. Hargitt ('13) 

 finds a chromatin-emission in Campanularia brought about by 

 the fragmentation of the nucleolus. The yolk develops from 

 this extruded chromatin. Stschelkanowzew ('06) has described in 

 Cunina a similar chromatin-emission through chromatin-nucleoli 

 (secondary nucleoli). This condition is not found in Hydractinia, 

 as the description of the nucleolus in a later section indicates. A 



