26 The Unity of the Organism 



material (archoplasm), and the clear protoplasm (ecto- 

 plasm) come, at least in part, and at one time or another, 

 from the nucleus. It is not claimed that the chromosomes 

 or even chromatin can be observed to produce the cytoplas- 

 mic localization or any of the other distinctive features of 

 the egg, as for example the different colors characteristic 

 of different animal species ; or the different kinds of proto- 

 plasm in the same species. Just what can be observed as 

 to the relation between the chromosomes and the several 

 kinds of material which pass out of the nucleus into the 

 cytoplasm is not much dwelt upon by Conklin in this investi- 

 gation. The clear protoplasm (ectoplasm) he describes and 

 figures very definitely as being the major clear mass of the 

 germinal vesicle set free in the cytoplasm as the nuclear 

 membrane dissolves at the beginning of maturation. The 

 chromosomes are said to be distinguishable at this time as 

 numerous small deeply staining bodies. They can be ob- 

 served to collect together in the "center of the nuclear 

 area" and certain things can be made out about the shapes, 

 and arrangement relative to one another of the individual 

 chromosomes ; but nothing is recorded to indicate that they 

 take any part in the movements of the ectoplasm, much less 

 in the production of it. 



Concerning the relation of the other two kinds of cyto- 

 plasm, the yellow or mesoplasm and the sphere, material or 

 archoplasm, to the chromosomes, Conklin's description is 

 still more meager. An investigation by Crampton, however, 

 has given particular attention to the relation of the sphere 

 material, or as he calls it the yolk-matrix, to the chromatin. 

 Crampton's results are the more significant for this discus- 

 sion in that Conklin was undoubtedly acquainted with them. 

 As the result of several searching tests of the chemical 

 character of the yolk-matrix, Crampton says : "In Molgula, 

 certainly, these granular masses are not chromatin in the 

 proper sense." 15 Although Crampton believes the substance 



