CHONDRIOSOMES IN CELLS OF FISH-EMBRYOS 469 



hypothetic, is that fish-tissue is, for some reason, refractory to 

 Benda's stain. 



The fuchsin-methylgreen stain was used according to Cow- 

 dry's description ('16, 2), except that the use of a 10 per cent 

 solution of fuchsin in anihn-water proved as satisfactory as the 

 usual 20 per cent solution. Furthermore, I stained in a flat- 

 bottomed evaporating dish, instead of staining on the slide. My 

 way of proceeding is cleaner and more economical than the 

 other way, and, what is more important, this method gives a 

 perfectly regular stain all over the slide. 



After either fixation, I was unable to cut sections 5 /x thick 

 through the whole embryo. The yolk-sac had to be removed — - 

 an easy procedure during the first twenty-four hours and after 

 the third da}^ but a rather difficult one during the intermediate 

 period. 



I shall continue to use the nomenclature to which I came 

 back in my last paper ('15): mitochondria (granules), chondrio- 

 conts (filaments), chondriosomes (general term). This nomen- 

 clature is based exclusively on morphology; it does not lead to 

 any confusion with other terms and it is already the most widely 

 adopted. 



In a review recently published, Cowdry ('16, 1) advocates the 

 use of the term ' ixiitochondria' in a general sense. 



American investigators, writes Cowdry (p. 424), have with few ex- 

 ceptions from the beginning employed the term 'mitochondria,' ex- 

 clusively, recognizing well that the same material, under different 

 conditions, may assume special forms. Even the word 'mitochondria' 

 leaves many things to be desired, but it is in general use, it is de- 

 scriptive of morphology only and it does not commit the user to any 

 hypothesis of the functional significance of the material in question. 

 True, we cannot use the name in the exact sense that Benda, who in- 

 troduced it, used it, any more than we can employ the term cell with 

 anything like its original meaning. Yet no one would invite us to 

 give up the word cell and to substitute a new and more appropriate 

 term in its place. 



To this, I take the liberty of making the following remarks. 

 The term 'mitochondria,' in Cowdry's sense, is not in general 

 use even in this country; if the nomenclature must be based on 



THE AMEUICAX JOURNAL OF ANATOMY VOL. 21, NO. 3 



