498 M. D. HILL. 
trace of anything that can be called a “polar body.” Of 
what actually does take place in lieu thereof I am not equally 
sure, but if I interpret my preparations correctly it is some- 
what as follows (Figs. 2 and 2a): The lump of chromatin 
divides into halves amitotically. The nucleus becomes con- 
stricted into two, though there is no vestige of spindle or 
centrosome. A slight modification and absence of yolk in the 
protoplasm surrounding the nucleus may represent a modified 
archoplasm. I have never discovered the least trace of radiat- 
Fie. 2a. 
Fic. 2.—Section of an ovum showing direct division into polar bodies. 
x 120 diams. 
Fie. 2a¢.—Nuclei drawn with Zeiss oil. imm. 
ing protoplasmic strands. One of the halves thus formed 
remains unaltered, except that the round chromatin mass 
breaks up into small] bits, which soon dissolve, or at least no 
longer take the stain. The nuclear membrane is not re-formed. 
The remaining half divides again in the same way and almost 
immediately disappears. The chromatin seems to be rapidly 
disintegrated, becoming a faintly stainmg granular mass, and 
then all trace of this half of the original nucleus is lost. The 
other moiety (Fig. 3) is longer lived, and may now be called 
