Self -Fertilization Induced by Artificial Means. 147 



Experiment XI. Eggs from the oviduct were put into ether 

 solutions of I and 0.5 per cent, for one-half and three-quarters 

 of an hour; then washed in a small amount of fresh water and 

 fertilized with the sperm from the vas deferens of the same 

 individual. The experiment was carried out primarily in order 

 to see if the eggs were affected by the solutions, so that they 

 could be subsequently self-fertilized, but it is obvious that this 

 test is not a good one, since the eggs will carry with them, de- 

 spite the partial washing in water, some of the ether which may 

 then act on the sperm. The results were as follows : 



Ether ^ hour ^ hour 



i.o o o 



0-5 4 5 



Without a check series, which unfortunately was not made, it 

 is difficult to decide whether the small number of eggs that were 

 self-fertilized was due to the action of the ether on the eggs 

 or on the sperm. The experiment must be repeated on a more 

 elaborate scale. 



Experiment XII. In this experiment with two individuals, 

 weaker solutions of ether were used. In one lot the sperm alone 

 was put into ether, and then added to the eggs. In the other 

 lot both eggs and sperm were put together into the ether. I 

 omitted recording the time in the ether, but it was probably about 

 five minutes. 



This experiment shows that the sperm of the first individual 

 was incapable of self-fertilization, even with the ether present. 

 In the other individual, the sperm was good, and there was a 



