682 
J. P. Munson 
from an external source. In tliis case, it would be the secretion of tlie 
lining cells of tlie ovarian tubes, which, in Limulus, as in spiders, serve 
as folliele cells, so far as nourishing the egg is concerncd. This granulär 
substance may be the metaplasm used by the astral rays as food. 
That tlie vitelline body and the aster originate de novo, from 
tliese amorphous granules, I cannot believe; for I have shown that tliey 
are a direct continuation of the centrosome and aster of tlie dividing 
oogonia. 
The aster and centrosome (vitelhne body) in the cytoplasm, is one 
tliing. Amorphous masses of metaplasm, like that seen in fig. 43, and a 
similar substance in the egg of the tortoise, figs. 2, 3, 6, 9 is an other tliing. 
To my mind, they bear the samc relation to each other as an anioeba 
bears to the food which it takes in. 
Real Nuclei in Cytoplasm. 
I find a third body in the egg cytoplasm, which is also distinct; 
namely, real nuclei, figs. 58 and 59. These bodies alone sliow the specific 
staining reaction of chromatm. With the triple Biondi-Erlich stain, 
they retain the green, while ah eise in the section is red. They differentiate 
beautifuhy in picrocarmine and in borax carmine and hematoxylin. Wliat 
I have cahed metaplasm in the turtles, egg, and also in that of Limulus, 
fig. 43, never gives the specific stain of chromatm so far as my experi- 
ments go. 
In my mind, tliere is not a sliadow of doubt that the little bodies, 
shown in figs. 58 and 59, are real nuclei. Besides their staining reaction, 
they have the general form of nuclei. They offen occur in great numbers, 
especiahy near the center of the egg. Eggs in which tliese nuclei are found 
show evidences of degeneration. Their presence in the cytoplasm is doubt- 
less evidence of a diseased condition of the egg. In many cases, the yolk 
and cytoplasm seem normal, fig. 59; but the germinal vesicle is always 
wanting in such eggs. The distinctly pathological features appear later, 
wlien the yolk granides begin to disappear in irregulär patches, as if 
devoured by nuclei. Strands of clear protoplasm then become visible ; and 
in tliese, the nuclei are imbedded, fig. 58. The outlines of the egg become 
irregulär; the cell membrane greatly folded and pierced with lioles; and 
the wliole egg seems finally to be absorbed. 
Gases are offen met with wliere the egg is evidently being absorbed, 
though no such nuclei ean be detected. 
Whether tliese nuclei come from outside as leucocytes, or from epithelial 
cells of the egg stalk, serving as food for the egg and surviving the digestive 
