114 PROTOPLASM 



different foci, which exhibit a larger portion of a very thin 

 layer of protoplasm from the interior of a plasmodial network. 

 The photographs were taken with a lower magnification (Obj. 4 

 mm.), but this is quite sufficient to make out the characteristic 

 structure. 



Finally, I refer to the very successful Photograph XVII., 

 which in like manner shows an extremely thin portion from the 

 interior of a plasmodium (Obj. 4 mm.). Where the protoplasm 

 is thicker in this picture, the structure becomes, of course, more 

 indistinct ; moreover, the protoplasm is much more opaque in 

 these places, principally on account of the large quantity of darker 

 enclosures, varying from the finest to the much more coarse. In 

 the photograph these enclosures can also be noticed very plainly in 

 the thin places, and are plainly to be distinguished from the nodal 

 points of the honeycombed framework. In some places the layer 

 of protoplasm is interrupted by rounded gaps, so common in 

 the network of the plasmodium. Towards the edge of such a 

 gap the structure becomes fainter or even disappears entirely ; 

 here the edge thins out in a manner similar to the lobes of proto- 

 plasm described above. But even within the continuous thin layer 

 of protoplasm, one sometimes comes across places where the struc- 

 ture is quite faint, tiU finally only indications of it are to be 

 noticed. These are extremely thinned out portions in which gaps 

 may come to be formed by dehiscence later on. 



Photograph XVII. shows, however, yet another very 

 interesting fact. When more accurately examined, one 

 notices in the protoplasm quite a number of rounded, rather 

 dark bodies. These are nothing more than the numerous cell- 

 nuclei, which in such thin places can be seen distinctly without 

 further preparation. With reference to the structure of these 

 nuclei, I will only remark that, as a rule, they contain a central 

 nucleolus-like structure, from which a nuclear framework, con- 

 sisting of simple radiating trabeculse, stretches across to the wall, 

 so that in fact they possess a structure such as I have already 

 frequently described for small nuclei. In some places it can be 

 seen quite beautifully in the photograph that the meshes of the 

 protoplasmic framework are directed radially to the surface of 

 the nucleus, as has already been described above in the case of 

 other objects. 



After what has been remarked heretofore it scarcely needs to 

 be pointed out especially that the radiate layer of alveoli is not 

 wanting at the surface of the plasmodium. It usually shows up 

 most clearly at the edges of the gaps which so frequently inter- 

 rupt the Plasmodium, granted, however, that the edges are not 

 too thin, so as to prevent the structure from being quite visible 



