47 



not observed. In no case har^ a fusion nucleus been seen in 

 any of the cells of tlie carpogenic branch other than the 

 carpo^oniiun, ajid it seems unlikely tjiat it passes into any 

 of these other cells. The position of the carpogoniu-in in 

 contact with the auxiliary cell renders it possible that 

 the tv/o become connected by resorption of the v/alls at the 

 point of contact, and tliat the fusion nucleus passes di- 

 rectly into the auxiliary cell, as was suggested by SCKLCTZ 

 for other species of Grif f ithsia , anr' . demonstrated 

 in Thuretel la and Chyloclad ia by HASSElTCMtP {»02) . In 

 Poly siph onia v iolacea the coinmii.nication between the carpo- 

 gonium and the aujciliary cell is transient ( YAI.IAIIOUCHI , 

 *06b), so thii.t it might well be difficult to demonstrate 

 in such a form as Griff ithsia . 



The cells of the ca,rpogenic branch after fertilization 

 and the passage of the fusion nucleus into the aiuciliary 

 cell usually degenerate simultaneously, and often the v/hole 

 carpogenic branch breaks av/ay from its attacliment to the 

 auxiliary cell, and lies free among the cells of the pro- 

 carp (fig, Oa) , In one case the lower cells of the carpo- 

 genic branch vfere seen to have withered before the passage 



-nu.cleu-s 



of the fusion^into the auxiliary'' cell, villi ch lends support 

 to the view that t]ie fusion nucleus passes directly into 



