194 MEAD. [VoL. XIV. 
consider to be equivalent to the mebenkerne or paranuclei of 
various authors (Fig. 1, c,d, f). These masses are not homo- 
geneous, but resolve themselves into a cytoplasmic network, 
of which the meshes are much compressed, and the strands 
usually parallel with the surface of the nucleus, though at the 
periphery of the masses they fray out and become continuous 
with the open network which contains the yolk (Fig. 1, g, 
Fig. 3, par.n., Fig. 4, par.n.). Frequently sections show but 
one mass of this sort, crescentic in outline, with the concavity 
toward the nucleus, and occasionally some of the constituent 
fibres, instead of running parallel with the nucleus, are rolled 
up spirally. As arule, however, the paranucleus is fragmented 
and numerous portions are found in a zone between the nucleus 
and the periphery of the egg. The substance within the 
meshes of the paranuclear reticulum does not take the yellow, 
but the blue or the purple stain. 
As the egg accumulates more yolk and increases in size, 
the paranuclei, through a process of continuous ravelling, 
become resolved into the network which now presents a 
nearly uniform appearance throughout the cytoplasm. The 
last traces of the fragmented paranucleus are recognizable 
even when composed of only two or three strands (Fig. 4). 
The reticulum can be traced with ease to the extreme 
periphery, where it forms what, in section, appears to be a 
distinct beaded line, running entirely around the egg. Im- 
mediately inside this outer “pellicle’’ is a narrow zone con- 
taining a single layer of yolk-granules regularly arranged 
(Fig. 9), and in this zone the strands of the cytoplasm are 
comparatively few. The nuclear membrane is continuous with 
the cytoreticulum and presents a similar granular appearance. 
During the growth of the ovum the character of the reticulum 
is constantly changing in respect both to the shape of the 
meshes and to the thickness of the component strands. In later 
phases of the paranucleus, and immediately after its disappear- 
ance, the reticulum is particularly easy to demonstrate. The 
strands are, at this time, thick, richly stained, and seem to be 
composed of a series of granules arranged in linear order, while 
the meshes are small and, in section, nearly circular in outline. 
