134 



CHAS. B. WILSON. 



The first polar body_, immediately after separation, exhibits 

 amoeboid changes of outline, as can be seen by comparing 

 different figures. These are most prominent daring the first 

 four or five minutes. At the end of this time the body has 

 become spherical, and stands close to the surface of the egg, 

 with which it is connected by a narrow band of protoplasm 

 (fig. 26). 



It now begins to exhibit spinning activities. Numerous 

 fine transparent threads of protoplasm radiate outward 

 from its surface, usually appearing first at one end (the 

 body is considered as lying with its side toward the egg), 

 but frequently elsewhere. The whole surface becomes 

 covered with such radiating threads, which vary considerably 

 in size and visible length. At the same time the body 

 moves away from the egg slowly, but whether as a result of 

 the spinning or the amoeboid movement or both could not be 

 determined. 



No further change occurs until the appearance of the 

 second polar body, except that sometimes the surface of the 

 egg in the vicinity of the first body rises up into one or more 

 small papillae. These occur most frequently on eggs which 

 afterward become abnormal, and they disappear quickly. 



As soon as the second body appears there is a distinct 

 change in the activities of the first body. The body itself is 

 slightly elongated parallel with the surface of the egg, and 

 becomes flattened on the inner side. The filose threads, 

 which have been hitherto distributed over its surface, now 

 aggregate toward one or both ends, and gather into long 

 filaments visible under a low power. They extend outward 

 and downward toward the surface of the egg (fig. 31), but 

 could not be traced to actual contact with the surface. But 

 this affords no proof that they do not reach it, for they are 

 extremely delicate and transparent, and they diminish in 

 size the farther they are followed, so that it becomes 

 difficult to see them. 



Certain phenomena at just the place on the egg toward 

 which they point indicate that they I'eally do reach the surface. 



