76 
H. E. Jordan 
zome”) forms the acrosome, but also sometimes stains violet in Benda’s 
stain. it is considered non-mitochondrial. 
Moreover, Meves (1907) objects to the nse of iron-haematoxvlin 
because it stains everything. If this is so — as seems true — whv should it 
not stain mitochondria whenever and whereever present? AYhy shoiüd 
they not appear in the early growth period of the primary spermatocyte 
(auxocyte)? In iron-haematoxylin-stained material one can distinguish 
between mitochondria. “tingierbare Körner'’, fat gramdes and “chroma- 
toid bodies” oidy on grounds of size, strncture and origin. These after all 
seem the only certain criteria. In short, there is no difference from this 
standpoint, between the mitochondria which pass into the middle-piece 
and those mitochondria-like bodies which are disearded with the cast-off 
cytoplasm of the cell; and this fact. together with the fact of the absence 
of mitochondria in early growth stages, and their apparent relatiou to 
the nnelear extrnsions, serionsly invalidates the mitochondrial conti- 
nuity theory of Bexda (1903) .Meves (1907) and Duesberg (1910). The 
authors of this theory may indeed have “hiermit einen AVechsel auf die 
Zukunft gezogen" (Heidexhaix). 
Foot-notes, 
J ) I am indebted to Mr. G. K. Flyxx and Air. S. D. L.vmon for the adult opossum 
from which I obtained the best material. 
2 ) Tlrrough the kindness of Dr. R. H. Whitehead I have since had opportunity 
to study also sections of this same material treated according to Benda’s method for 
the demonstration of mitochondria in the interstitial cells. My findings with respect 
to the mitochondria of the seminal epithelium accord entirely with those noted for the 
preparations described in the bodv of this paper. and lead to the same conclusions 
regarding their origin and fate. 
3 ) From a third pair of adult testes recently obtained, I have made smear pre- 
parations with a view to studying linder possiblv more natural cor.ditions the synapsis 
phase and the accessory chromosome. Iron-haematoxylin-stained preparations show with 
especial cleamess a continuity of the early postsynaptic thread. with the accessory 
chromosome attached to one end. There appears also a slight indication of a duplicity 
of the thread. Very rarely there occurs a second body (plasmosome) in early post- 
synaptic stages; but in later postsynaptic (acliromatic) stages only the accessory chro- 
mosome is present. Chondriosomes are very conspicuous in the spermatids and in 
the middle-piece of the spermatozoa. Delafield's haematoxylin stain combined with 
eosin reveals the same structures with ecpial clearness. with the exception of the mito- 
chondria and the middle-piece of the spermatozoa. 
4 ) In smear preparations of the contents of the vas deferens stained with earbol- 
fuchsin, twin spermatozoa appeared abundantly. The heads of the paired and single 
spermatozoa showed a peculiar differential staining capactfy: the former stained only 
very faintly. the latter very intensely. 
