616 EALPH S. LILLIE 



3. The anesthetics have no inhibiting influence on the cleav- 

 age-initiating action of fatty acids. Since fatty acids readily 

 penetrate the unaltered plasma-membrane, while salts do not, 

 and since both agents are equally effective in inducing parthe- 

 nogenesis, this difference indicates that the parthenogenetic 

 agent acts at some point within the most external layer of the egg. 



4. The favorable effects of after-treatment with hypertonic 

 sea- water are prevented by anaesthetics as well as by cyanide. 

 This result indicates that hypertonic sea-water, as well as anes- 

 thetics, acts by modifying the condition of the plasma-membrane. 



