Laboulbenia chaetophora and L. Gyrinidarum . 333 
the pit is usually clearer and more structureless than the rest of the cyto- 
plasm. One of its most striking features, and one by means of which the 
position of the protoplasmic bridges can always be located, is the presence 
of rather coarse, deeply staining granules (a brilliant red with Flemming’s 
triple stain), some of which are closely in contact with the ‘ Schliesshaut ’ 
(Fig. 7). These are probably the ‘ metachromatic * granules observed 
by Claussen in the mycelium of Ascodesmis and by McCubbin in Helvetia. 
In favourable preparations the middle lamella or * Schliesshaut ’can be 
seen to be perforated by a very fine pore, and in some instances there is the 
appearance of several minute perforations. But that there are no large 
openings to accommodate such strands as are obtained by the maceration 
of entire plants, or that permit of the uninterrupted continuity of the strands 
that occupy the pits, is absolutely certain. A possible exception is to 
be made in the case of the appendages, for as judged from end views 
of their septa, which are easily obtained in almost any section, each is 
occupied by a comparatively large open pore (Fig. 1). Such an angle 
of observation is not favourable for the determination of the presence 
or otherwise of the thin middle lamella, but an occasional lateral view also 
gives the same impression. The black ring around the septum interferes 
seriously with observations from the side. The absence of the red granules 
characteristic of the bridges in the body of the plant lends further sup- 
port to the possibility that the septa of the appendages are coarsely 
perforated, and that the protoplasmic bridges here are coarse strands 
of cytoplasm. 
That there is a more or less definite organization of the cytoplasm 
related to the pitting of the septa is frequently evident, but will be referred 
to in another connexion. 
The Protoplast. 
The protoplasts are typically monoenergid, each cell possessing a 
single relatively large nucleus. Occasionally in older plants the nucleus in 
some of the cells may undergo one or more mitotic divisions. This may 
take place in the cells of the receptacle, especially in the larger ones, and in 
the cells lining the perithecium, but never in the foot, appendages, or 
spores. Fig. 19 illustrates an example of a large cell from the receptacle 
in which as many as ten nuclei were counted, all of uniform size and 
organization. Where such a proliferation occurs, the number varies from 
two to ten. Amitosis has not been seen in any instance. 
The somatic nuclei are characterized by a large nucleolus and discrete 
masses of chromatin. There is no reason for believing that any portion of 
the chromatin is held by the nucleolus, for it is readily distinguishable 
in the resting nuclei in well-fixed preparations. The chromatin is especially 
abundant in the nuclei of the appendages. The nucleolus and chromatin 
