ON THE LIFE-HISTORY OF THE FORAMINIFEEA. 148 



portions of the protoplasm present a generally diffused flush. 

 In many cases this flush cannot be seen, either by examination 

 of the whole specimen or of sections, to depend on the presence 

 of stained particles, though these may exist and be so small as 

 to escape detection ; the appearance is that the protoplasm in 

 these regions has a general stain. Frequently the flushed 

 region either extends from the central chamber to a little 

 beyond the nucleus, or is limited to the chambers in the im- 

 mediate neighbourhood of the nucleus. In the specimen from 

 which fig. 23 is drawn the flush is present only in part of the 

 chamber in which the nucleus lies, and here minute stained 

 particles can be detected in the flushed region. Such an appear- 

 ance suggests that minute portions of nuclear substance are 

 being given off into the protoplasm. 



Apparent Degeneration of the Nucleus. — In some cases the 

 nucleus presents a different appearance from what has been 

 described. Instead of possessing a rounded shape it may have 

 the appearance of being partially collapsed, or it may be quite 

 irregular, extending through several chambers, and sending 

 rounded offsets into the protoplasm (fig. 26). This appearance 

 is quite distinct from that produced by the change in shape 

 which the nucleus undergoes when it is involved in a protrusion 

 of the protoplasm, such as has been described above {cf. fig. 1). 



Associated with this loss of its rounded shape is the absence 

 or scarcity of nucleoli, and a general paleness, so that the 

 characteristic red colour is only faintly indicated at the profile 

 of the nucleus, the peripheral parts alone retaining their 

 staining power, and this in a diminished degree. Such nuclei 

 appear to be undergoing degeneration, having lost their shape, 

 and, to a large extent, their nucleoli and their staining power. 



Multiple Nuclei. — I have met with twenty-one cases in 

 which more than one large nucleus is present in a megalospheric 

 form. Sometimes this condition is associated with irregular 

 growth ; thus, in one example, where the inner chambers are 

 very irregular in size and shape, there are seven nuclei. Three 

 are present in another irregularly-grown specimen. In a case 

 where there are two nuclei, the shape of the megalosphere 



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