INTRODUCTION. 14 
x 
The blepharoplast was described as increasing in size and separating 
into segments or plates, which ultimately form numerous round or 
elliptical granules that collect into a compact mass in the place occu- 
pied by the blepharoplast. These granules gradually fused together, 
forming the cilia-bearing membrane of the spermatozoid. 
Slightly later in the same month, November 23, Ikeno’s complete 
monograph on the development of the sexual organs and the process 
of fecundation in Cycas revoluta appeared (70). The details of the 
development of the spermatozoids, described by Ikeno for Cycas, are 
almost entirely identical with those previously described by the writer 
for Zamia, differing only in two important details—the connection of 
a protuberance from the nucleus with the ciliferous band during its 
growth and elongation and in the presence of a tail attached to the 
posterior end of the spermatozoid. In the fecundation of Cycas, as in 
that of Zama, the ciliferous band and cytoplasm remain at the apex of 
the archegonium, the nucleus only fusing with the egg nucleus. Many 
features of this monograph will be discussed in the present paper in 
comparison with Zamia. 
In December, 1898, Fujii (89 and 40), another Japanese botanist, 
called attention to an apparently serious contradiction between the 
observations of Ikeno, Hirase, and the writer as to the presence of a 
tail in the spermatozoids, and described the results of observations 
made on the living spermatozcids of Ginkgo. He concluded that 
Hirase was in error in claiming the presence of a tail in Ginkgo and 
thinks the appendage supposed by Hirase to be a tail was a malforma- 
tion due to compression in the escape of the spermatozoid from the 
pollen tube. Similar conclusions have been reached by Mr. Bessey (15), 
one of the writer’s associates, after a careful examination of lying 
material. 
In July, 1899, Belajeff (4) brought forward further evidence to 
show that the blepharoplast must be considered a centrosome. He 
found by a careful study of Marsiza that the blepharoplast here not 
only occupies the pole of the spindle, but evidently takes part in spin- 
dle formation. He thus concludes that it is a veritable centrosome. 
Strasburger, in his recent monograph (112) entitled ‘‘ Ueber Reduc- 
tionstheilung, Spindelbildung, Centrosomen, und Cilienbildner im 
Pflanzenreich,” which appeared early in 1900, has again gone over 
the ground of swarm-spore and spermatozoid formation, and concludes 
that the blepharoplast of spermatogenous cells is distinct from a gen- 
uine centrosome or centrosphere, and traces its origin back to the 
** Mundstelle” of the swarm-spores of Cladophora, Gedogonium, ete., 
from which the cilia originate. His discussion of the matter is of the 
highest interest. 
In 1900 the presence of spermatozoids in a third genus of the Cycads 
was proven. This was accomplished by Lang (77) in his investigation 
