336 G. F. DOWDESWELL. 



Note on a Minute Point in the Structure of the 

 Spermatozoon of the Newt. 



By 



G. F. Do^vdes^vell, 91. A., &.c. 



The general structure of the spermatozoon of the water 

 Newt (Triton cristalus) has recently been well and accur- 

 ately described by Dr. H. Gibbes in this Journal.^ It is to a 

 point therein, which has hitherto escaped notice, that I wish 

 here to call attention. 



The spermatozoon consists, as described (loc. cit.) of the 

 " body," to which is attached a fine, narrow, translucent mem- 

 brane, bordered by what is usually termed " the filament,'^ 

 which takes its origin from what may be called the neck, the 

 upper or thickest extremity of the body. This membrane and 

 " filament" evidently consist of protoplasm, being highly con- 

 tractile ; in the fresh state rhythmical waves of contraction may 

 be seen passing up them, and producing that remarkable ap- 

 pearance of spiral rotation, which in similar cases was often a 

 source of perplexity to microscopists. The " body " also 

 appears to be protoplasmic, both behavnig in the same manner 

 towards reagents, but the upper and thickest part, " the neck'^ 

 — the " elliptical body " mentioned by Gibbes — appears to be of 

 somewhat different constitution, as in some cases it stains 

 much more deeply and readily than the rest of the body. Sur- 

 mounting this, forming a cap as it were, is a long, finely taper- 

 ing conical head, which, as already shown (loc. cit.), is of 

 materially different constitution to the other parts, being 

 apparently less stable, swelling up readily when treated with 

 water, and being easily altered and destroyed by other re- 

 ' Vol. xix (1879), p. 487. 



