282 II. MABSIIALL WAED. 



then slowly round off as naked oospheres (fig. 12), consist- 

 ing of the fatty protoplasm only, suspended in the oogonium 

 cavity, which appears otherwise empty. This collecting of the 

 protoplasm to form the eggs, or oospheres, is a remarkable 

 process in more respects than one ; it takes place slowly, and 

 occupies several hours altogether. I will confine my description 

 to one case observed. 



An oogonium was favorably situated for observation 

 from above, and at about 13 noon had attained the stage 

 figured at fig. 11 a. The coarsely granular protoplasm 

 aggregating on the walls, was in a state of continuous slow- 

 flowing motion, quite distinct to one observing a given granule 

 from the upper side (fig. 11 h) ; this specimen was watched 

 carefully from this time forward till nearly 5 p.m., and under- 

 went changes which were figured as follows (fig. 14) : 



For a long time the mass on the walls slowly heaved and 

 flowed, without its lateral continuity becoming broken. At 

 about l.oO to 3 o'clock, however, the surface view showed that 

 the dense layer was breaking up into more distinct masses ; 

 and at 2.35 oblique, broad bands of fatty granules represented 

 the connection between two large masses aggregated at the 

 sides (fig. 14 f). On watching the uppermost of these bands, 

 the slow breaking up and passage over to either side of the 

 granular protoplasm was distinctly observed (fig. 14 g, Ji). 

 About 5 or 10 minutes before 4 the whole of the protoplasm 

 was thus collected into two equal lumps, still somewhat flat- 

 tened on one surface to the walls of the oogonium, and stand- 

 ing on opposite sides (fig. 14 i,k). The next five minutes were 

 occupied in the collection of a few scattered granules, the rais- 

 ing up of the centre of each lump from the wall, and its 

 ultimate withdrawal altogether towards the centre of the 

 oogonium (fig. 14 /). During the latter process, the egg- 

 masses were distinctly amoeboid ; each had its surface alter- 

 nately raised into lumps and smoothed off" again, and in some 

 cases small particles of the protoplasm became detached and 

 taken up again.^ There is not the slightest doubt as to the 

 ' This dctaclimcut of protoplasmic masses occurs still more decidedly, ac- 



