1922] SEARS—TARAXACUM 313 
preparations were obtained by the use of Flemming’s stronger 
fixing fluid. In comparison with acetic alcohol material these 
showed little difference in nuclear condition, but inspection of the 
cytoplasm made it very evident that the electrolytes contained in 
lemming’s solution had caused violent coagulation of certain 
cell colloids. This circumstance should militate against its use 
in critical work. Acetic alcohol kills almost instantly, and contains 
two components whose effects are mutually corrective.. From the 
theoretical standpoint of modern colloid chemistry it ought to be 
a very desirable reagent. Numerous experiments, as well as the 
variety of formulae which have been recommended by different 
workers, suggest strongly that failures with it have often been due 
to use of unsuitable proportions of the components. 
Sections were cut from 6 to 12 uw in thickness, and were stained 
with iron-alum, alone and with counterstain, and with Flemming’s 
triple solution. Drawings, unless otherwise noted, were made 
with Spencer camera lucida through Bausch and Lomb binocu- 
lar equipped with no. 12 compensating oculars and 1.9 fluorite 
objective. 
It should be noted that the use of the word synapsis in this 
paper has been limited to the matter of synaptic pairing. The 
term synizesis is used throughout to designate the balling of 
chromatin in early prophase. 
Observations ‘ 
SOMATIC DIVISIONS.—These were observed very frequently in 
all stages, in nucellar and other meristem. So far as can be 
determined, they present no unusual features. The chromosomes 
segment as curved rods from a fairly thick and quite uniform 
spireme, and are certainly about twenty-six in number. 
ATURATION DIVISIONS.—The earliest stages that could be 
identified were marked by an enlarged nucleolus and not more 
than thirteen paired centers of chromatin aggregation. These are 
shown in figs. 1 and 2, and can fairly be construed as prochromo- 
somes. JUEL (12) does not mention them, while Osawa (17) 
describes them for both the species he studied as originating by an 
increase in size and number of the granules upon a linin meshwork, 
