291 
in the Pollen-Mother-Cells of Larix . 
times the clear spaces are larger and more numerous in the 
peripheral region, but often, as in the cell shown in Fig. 3, 
the cytoplasm presents in this respect a very uniform 
appearance. The granules, or sections of fibres, are present 
as before, and also the larger rounded cytoplasmic bodies, 
which stain less densely blue than the fibres. Often a cyto- 
plasmic fibre can be clearly traced as it passes through the 
nuclear membrane and is attached to one of the chromatin 
groups. For this purpose sections are specially favourable 
which cut the nucleus tangentially ; in such a section a fibre 
running diagonally to the cutting-plane can be followed, by 
a change of focus, through the membrane, which is transparent 
and is here visible only as a bluish cloud. A portion of such 
a section is shown in Fig. 4. 
Comparison of living cells at this period is helpful. The 
outlines of the large round or elliptical nucleus, one or two 
nucleoles, usually near the centre of the nucleus, and the 
chromosomes just within the nuclear boundary, are all plainly 
visible ; and some of the longer linin fibres can be made out. 
Little can be determined in living material regarding cyto- 
plasmic structures ; occasionally one of the coarser fibres can 
be traced for some distance. 
2. The Radial Stages. 
Very soon the cytoplasmic fibres begin to show a definite 
arrangement. In a section through a single cone may often 
be found a series of stages from the one just described to 
a distinctly radial arrangement (Fig. 5). The fibres arrange 
themselves so that many of them extend perpendicularly from 
the nuclear membrane out into the cytoplasm or even to the 
periphery of the cell. At first, however, most of the radial 
fibres are relatively short and end in the cytoplasm. They 
are also in general not straight, but rather irregularly wavy. 
A vacuolated region may still be present in the peripheral 
cytoplasm, as appears in Fig. 5. 
The fibres soon increase in length, and a complete system 
of fairly straight radial fibres is formed, extending from the 
