364 
The Ohio Naturalist. 
[Vol. XV, No. 1, 
many reduction preparations of apparently the same age. Miss 
Elkins regards this “synapsis” as a natural stage in the reduction 
division and not as an artifact as the many types of synizetic 
masses lead the writer to believe. The synizetic knot is not 
necessarily found to one side of the nuclear cavity, but is often 
in the center in which case the nucleolus is usually found to be 
lateral in position. Often threads with numerous granules are 
seen projecting from the greater mass of chromatin material 
toward the periphery of the nucleus. Before the contraction 
of the spirem, there were no double granules observed and the 
spirem was single, but following svnizesis a heavy spirem extends 
throughout the nuclear cavity touching the periphery at various 
points. (Figs 12, 13, 14). No evidence whatever in favor of 
the theory that the double spirem is the result of the conjugation 
of two simple spirems was found. The evidence rather points 
to a longitudinal splitting instead of a conjugation. (Fig. 14). 
The heavy spirem which often showed very plainly its double 
character is thrown into loops around the periphery of the nuclear 
cavity and in an older sporocvte each incipient loop appeared 
to have twisted more tightly together, showing as definite bodies 
still connected together so that almost the entire length of the 
spirem may be traced by following the twists of the loops. Miss 
Elkins described the chromosomes as being formed by the halves 
of the double spirems constricting at intervals until only a very 
slender thread united the segments, but the writer found a number 
of preparations which showed well defined loops in which the 
twisted condition appeared plainly just at the time when they 
were pulling apart, as seen in Figure 17. Often large granules 
are seen upon the linin thread even after well twisted loops are 
formed and the double character of the thread is seen even in the 
fully formed chromosome, if one focuses carefully. 
By the transverse pulling apart of the heavy looped spirem, 
there results rather indefinitely shaped chromosomes which are 
joined together for some time by very delicate threads. (Figs. 
18, 19, 20, 24). The irregular masses tend to shorten and thicken 
forming twelve rather well individualized chromosomes. (Figs. 
21, 22, 23). In many of the preparations of this stage it is impos¬ 
sible to count the chromosomes because of their proximity and 
the irregularity of shape. 
After the chromosomes have acquired their individual shape 
they are still connected by fine threads (Fig. 24) and the nuclear 
membrane becomes indistinct while the incipient spindle appears 
about it. (Figs. 24, 25). The membrane disappears and a 
definite bipolar spindle is apparent from the beginning with the 
chromosomes and their connecting threads arranged over it. 
The chromosomes appear to be gradually pulled into an equatorial 
position by a shortening of the connecting threads. During this 
