GERM CELLS IN THE ARTHROPODA 153 



a group of nurse cells (n.c) at the anterior end. A 

 large part of the oocyte is occupied by the nucleus 

 (ri) within which are a comparatively few irregular 

 rods of chromatin, forming a group in the center. 

 This nucleus thus differs quite strikingly from those 

 of the follicle and nurse cells. In Fig. 46, B is 

 shown an older oocyte and two of the accompanying 

 nurse cells (n.c). The nucleus contains many long 

 slender rods of chromatin which often cross each 

 other near their extremities. 



Soon after this stage is reached the nuclear mem- 

 brane disappears and a sort of spindle is formed as 

 illustrated in Fig. 46, C. No asters could be dis- 

 covered, but the spindle fibers are quite distinct. 

 The chromatin rods are arranged longitudinally on 

 the spindle, and in material fixed in Carnoy's solu- 

 tion and stained in iron-heematoxylin followed by 

 eosin, are remarkably distinct. The arrangement 

 of these rods seems to indicate either that entire 

 chromosomes are separating after synapsis or that 

 daughter chromosomes are being pulled apart 

 after a longitudinal split. I am unfortunately 

 unable to state definitely what processes do precede 

 the condition shown here, but it seems probable that 

 the chromatin of the early oocytes forms a spireme 

 which breaks up into chromosomes, and that these 

 chromosomes become united in pairs at or near their 

 ends, and are there drawn out upon the spindle as 

 represented in Fig. 46, C. It seems also certain that 

 a definite number of these chromosome-pairs are 

 present. Only a few cross sections of spindles were 



