i^l^'l Swezy: h'inefointchiix of Flagellates 195 



by Janieki (1911), and one by which we shall designate it in this 

 paper. In proof of this Hartmann cites the so-called "reducing 

 division" of the parabasal body and the fusion of the two resulting 

 parabasal bodies at the time of conjugation in Tn/panosoma noctuae 

 as figured by Schaudinn (1904). 



As an additional proof of the validity of his contention he further 

 states that ' ' jeder Zweif el an der Kernnatur des Blepharoplasten wird 

 aber durch den von Rosenbusch einwandfrei erbrachten Nachweis be- 

 seitigt dass er sich regelrecht mitotisehe teilt, indem Polkappeu, Chro- 

 mosomenplatte und Spindle gebildet werden" (Hartmann and Jollos, 

 1910). 



In the following discussion of the value of these claims, conditions 

 as found among the Haemoflagellata will be considered first, followed 

 by a comparison of these forms with tlie Haemosporidia. 



1. THE HAEMOFLAGELLATA 



The work of Schaudinn (1904) on the life-cycle of the blood para- 

 sites of the little owl has been discussed and its validity questioned and 

 disproved in important particulars; this is so well known that the 

 criticisms need not be repeated here. 



There is one point, however, which so far has not received much 

 adverse attention, namely, that the parabasal body arises by actual 

 division of the nucleus. Schaudinn 's figures on this point fail to 

 show any conclusive evidence to bear out the statements to that effect 

 made in his discussion. If critically examined these will show that 

 another interpretation may be used. 



Figure 1 may represent some phase of the Halteridium nucleus, but 

 there is no evidence to show that it is connected in any way with the 

 figures following. The fibrils connecting the nucleus, blepharoplast 

 and parabasal body, the so-called "centrodesmose" (figs. 3-5) are not 

 indicative, in the slightest degree, of the origin of the one by the 

 division of the other. On the contrary, this connecting rhizoplast is 

 present in well-stained specimens of some trypanosomes (Chagas, 

 1909), in Crithidia (fig. 15), in T rypanoplasma (figs. 9, 10) and it is 

 quite possible that it is the general condition throughout the whole 

 group. In many forms, as in Trichomonas, the rhizoplast connecting 

 the nucleus and blepharoplast is a structure which takes stain very 

 lightly, for the most part, and this fact probably accounts for its non- 

 appearance in most of the figures given of haemoflagellates by various 

 authors. 



