GERM CELLS IN NEMATODES, SAGITTA 187 
Buchner (1912) indicates that these bodies are really 
organisms which seem to be symbiotic and not para- 
sitic, although it remains to be proved what advan- 
tage the host receives from their presence. Of a 
similar sort are the Zoéxanthelle which Mangan 
(1909) has shown enter the developing ovum from 
the parental tissues. All of these organisms become 
in some way embedded in the germ cells, but so far 
as we know never serve to distinguish the keimbahn, 
although a more selective distribution within the 
developing animal would obviously be greatly to 
their advantage. 
Vander Stricht (1911) has compared the “‘beson- 
dere Koérper” found by Elpatiewsky (1909, 1910) 
in the egg of Sagitta with several bodies, the ‘‘corps 
enigmatique,” which he discovered in the odcyte of 
the cat (Fig. 55, E). One or two of these ‘‘corps 
enigmatique” are present in the young odcyte 
originating from a few (one to five) cytoplasmic 
safranophile granules which are visible at the begin- 
ning of the growth period. They at first lie near the 
nucleus, but as the size of the odcyte increases they 
become situated near the periphery. Usually three 
parts can be recognized in the “‘corps enigmatique”’ : 
“granulation centrole, couche intermediaire et couche 
corticale foncée.”” As the term applied to them indi- 
cates, the functions of these bodies were not deter- 
mined. The following suggestion is, however, made: 
“il est possible que cet élément nous montre, des 
Vorigine, la ‘Keimbahn’ ainsi que les premieres 
cellules génitales constituées.”” A body stained 
