GERM CELLS IN THE ARTHROPODA 153 
a group of nurse cells (x.c) at the anterior end. A 
large part of the odcyte is occupied by the nucleus 
(n) within which are a comparatively few irregular 
rods of chromatin, forming a group in the center. 
This nucleus thus differs quite strikingly from those 
of the follicle and nurse cells. In Fig. 46, B is 
shown an older odcyte and two of the accompanying 
nurse cells (z.c). The nucleus contains many long 
slender rods of chromatin which often cross each 
other near their extremities. 
Soon after this stage is reached the nuclear mem- 
brane disappears and a sort of spindle is formed as 
illustrated in Fig. 46, C. No asters could be dis- 
covered, but the spindle fibers are quite distinct. 
The chromatin rods are arranged longitudinally on 
the spindle, and in material fixed in Carnoy’s solu- 
tion and stained in iron-hematoxylin followed by 
eosin, are remarkably distinct. The arrangement 
of these rods seems to indicate either that entire 
chromosomes are separating after synapsis or that 
daughter chromosomes are being pulled apart 
after a longitudinal split. I am _ unfortunately 
unable to state definitely what processes do precede 
the condition shown here, but it seems probable that 
the chromatin of the early odcytes forms a spireme 
which breaks up into chromosomes, and that these 
chromosomes become united in pairs at or near their 
ends, and are there drawn out upon the spindle as 
represented in Fig. 46, C. It seems also certain that 
a definite number of these chromosome-pairs are 
present. Only a few cross sections of spindles were 
