288 J. JACKSON CLARKE. 



stained with Ehrlich's acid hsematoxylin diluted with distilled 

 water, and when they had assumed a brownish pink colour were 

 transferred to a bath of tepid tap water and left for at least two 

 hours. Then for two or three minutes they were stained with 

 a solution^ of Griibler's water-soluble eosin, dehydrated, 

 cleared by xylol, and mounted in the usual way. 



With regard to Wolters's description of polar bodies, I can 

 only say that structures which are explicable only as of 

 this nature are of frequent occurrence in M. agilis. They 

 resemble flattened nuclei, and are placed beyond the surface 

 of the parasite and lie between it and the capsule. A nucleus 

 is usually to be seen within the parasite close to such bodies, 

 and frequently remains of a spindle can be made out passing 

 from the nucleus peripherally towards the polar body, as with 

 Wolters I am inclined to regard it. 



I have not been able to give sufficient time to the investiga- 

 tion to place me in a position to criticise Wolters's description 

 of the fusion of the nuclei after extrusion of the polar bodies. 

 I have been able to confirm Wolters's view of the origin of 

 sporogonia in the main, but some modifications are, I think, 

 required of the process as described by Wolters, who would 

 appear to say that every nuclear division after the fusion and 

 re-separation of the original nuclei proceeds by regular mitosis. 

 Against this, such appearances as I have sketched in PI. 31, 

 fig. 1, may be objected. The drawing represents a syzygium of 

 M. agilis. It was surrounded by a connective-tissue capsule. 

 About the middle of each half of the syzygium is a mass (a) which 

 I think can only be regarded as nuclear. These masses are 

 composed of fine granules, most of which are coloured purple 2 

 by hsematoxylin. Amongst these are coarser granules, which 

 give with the same reagent a deep blue reaction characteristic 

 of chromatin in both animal and vegetable cells. These chro- 



' This was obtained bj dropping a few drops of a strong alcoboiic solution 

 into a watch-glass filled with distilled water. 



^ This is Ehrlich's nietachroinatic reaction. " Metachromatisch d. b. in 

 Einer dem angewohnten Earbtone abweichenden Niiance farben," Ehrlicb, 

 'Gesammelte Mittbeilungen,' 1891, p. 2. 



