Nuclear Division in Funkia. 
393 
distinctly visible in tbe Strands of the reticula, and is often also 
shown by the knots, although the latter are more generally unpaired. 
Chromosomes of similar size also appear lying together in pairs both 
in prophase and telophase. The small size of the somatic nuclei 
makes it difficult to investigate tliese phenomena, but double threads 
in the reticula were seen and figured in such a large number of 
cases, in preparations stained by both methods, that no doubt of 
their existence can be entertained. (PI. VIII. Figs. 1, 2, 3.) 
The paired structure of the reticulum and the parallel afrange- 
ment of pairs of similar chromosomes obviously suggests the close 
association in somatic nuclei of homologous paternal and maternal 
chromosomes, and of the part of the reticulum which corresponds to 
such chromosomes. Pairs of chromosomes lying together in the 
anaphases of the presynaptic nuclear division have been remarked 
by Cannon 1 ) in Pisum, but bis figures are far from conclusive. I 
examined some slides of a pea root in Order to see if anything of 
the kind were visible in the very small somatic nuclei of this plant; 
Figs. 5. 6. PI. VIII. represent nuclei in which a paired structure was 
obvious in the early prophases 2 ). Similar or even more striking 
appearances were seen in the somatic nuclei of male and female 
plants of Hydrocharis morsas-ranae , of Lychnis dioica, and of Bryo- 
nia dioica. 
One of Strasburger’s figures 3 ) suggests a similar double reti- 
culum, and he also commonly figures pairs of equal sized chromo- 
somes lying together in the somatic nuclei in Funkia and in Gal- 
tonia 4 ). 
IV. Conclusion and Summary. 
1) The series of fact3 observed in the early prophases of the 
reduction division in both species of Funkia agree with those des- 
cribed by Miyake, and Support his conclusions, and those of Stras- 
burger’s school, that a preparation for fusion between homologous 
parts is taking place during these stages. The pairing in the reti- 
culum is seen to appear at a very early stage. 
b Cannon. 1903. pp. 521—530. Figs. 5 — 9. 
2 ) The slides were kindly lent and the drawings made by Miss M. Gardner, 
Girton College. 
3 ) Strasburger. 1906. Fig. 8. PI. F 
4 ) Strasburger. (III) 1906. p. 19. Figs. 12, 13, 37-40 PI. I. (IV) 1907. 
p. 70. Fig. 22. 
