80 BULLETIN: MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY. 
same orientation as the chromosomes of the preceding telophase. ‘They 
appear to be composed of a very much contorted thread made up of 
chromatin granules imbedded in a linin matrix. ‘This thread is so 
contorted and bent upon itself that it is impossible in this species to 
determine whether each mass is composed of one or several distinct 
threads. The structure of these masses can be made out much better 
in Chortophaga viridifasciata, in the account of which they will be 
described in detail. It is sufficient here to state that they are much 
more distinct and widely separated in this species than in any other, 
while their number is approximately the same as that of the sperma- 
togonial chromosomes. We may conclude, then, that each mass of 
chromatin is a univalent autosome, which in Chortophaga can be 
seen to be transformed, by a sort of unraveling process, into a chroma- 
tin thread. In Dissosteira it is impossible to make out satisfactorily 
the formation of the threads, but in the next stage (c) the nucleus 
contains probably several much convoluted threads (Figs. 29, 30) 
composed of linin, in which small rounded chromatin granules are 
imbedded at short, and fairly regular intervals. Extending out from 
each thread, and connecting it with adjoining threads, are fine linin 
fibrils. It is impossible at this stage to determine by observation 
whether there is one or a large number of chromatin threads, but, for 
reasons given above, I believe that there are really a number of distinct 
threads, and that there is at no time a continuous spireme. During 
this stage one or two small plasmosomes, staining deeply with Bor- 
deaux, appear in the nucleus. 
The next stage (d) is characterized by polarity in the arrangement 
of the spireme. In favorable cases it can be plainly seen that the 
threads are now attached at one side to the nuclear membrane (Figs. 
31, 32). Probably the attachment takes place somewhat earlier, 
but is not distinguishable on account of the more tortuous course taken 
by the spireme threads. When this polarity of the spireme first 
becomes evident the threads still take such a tortuous course through 
the nucleus that the polarity is distinguishable only near the region 
where the threads are attached to the nuclear membrane. However, 
during the latter part of this stage the polar arrangement of the threads 
becomes much more distinct; but it is never as marked in this species 
as in some other Orthoptera. A careful study of the nucleus at this. 
stage shows that the spireme is really in the form of loops attached 
by their free ends to the nuclear membrane at a common point. At 
first glance the number of loops at this time appears to be consid- 
erably greater than at a somewhat later stage. However, I believe 
