716 C. CLIFFORD DOBELL. 
mass of nuclear matter has shrunk away from the membrane. 
Tam not sure what takes place subsequently, but it appears 
probable that such nuclei undergo a simple process of 
disintegration. 
1s 
More than thirty years ago, Brandt showed that enucleate 
fragments of Actinospherium invariably die. And many 
subsequent workers—Nussbaum, Gruber, Hofer, Verworn, 
Balbiani, and others—have proved that this rule is of general 
TEXT-FIG. EH. 
Enucleate amcebe, in late stages of degeneration. P.gr.= Pigment 
granules. 
application. They have proved by direct experiment that if 
a protozoon be divided into two parts—one containing the 
nucleus, the other enucleate—then only the nucleate part is 
capable of carrying out the vital functions of the animal for 
any length of time. The enucleate part invariably dies— 
sooner or later. Of especial interest in the present case is the 
work of Hofer (10). This investigator experimented upon the 
free-hving Ameeba proteus. He cut the organism into two 
parts—one of which contained the nucleus, the other being 
enucleate. By keeping both parts under constant observation 
he found that the nucleate part continued to live and perform 
its various functions in the normal manner. ‘The enucleate 
