confluens and the Morphology of the Ascocarp. 349 
The individuality of the nuclei is entirely lost in this dis¬ 
integration, and it is quite impossible to determine at this 
stage just how many or how large shreds have come from 
a single nucleus. The partial union of the shreds into a net¬ 
work seems to have resulted from the aggregation of the 
nuclei in groups just before they lose their spherical shape 
and disintegrate. Having broken down they are apparently 
once more rather evenly distributed in the cytoplasm, but the 
fibrous shreds into which they have disintegrated remain 
more or less connected. This disintegration of the tube- 
nuclei may be complete at the time the pore is formed or 
it may be delayed somewhat, so that cases are found where 
the pore has been formed while the tube-nuclei are still intact 
( Fi g- 7 )- 
When the nuclei of the tube are completely disorganized, 
a migration of the nuclei from the antheridium through the 
pore begins. Figure 13 shows a case in which three of the 
antheridial nuclei have entered the beak of the tube, and the 
tube-nuclei are broken down into the irregular network de¬ 
scribed. With the inflow of these antheridial nuclei the entire 
protoplasmic contents of the tube become still further dis¬ 
organized. This may go so far at once that the fragments 
of the tube-nuclei disappear entirely, apparently being assimi¬ 
lated by the inflowing antheridial nuclei and cytoplasm (Fig. 
14) ; or the protoplasm of the tube may become aggregated 
into a densely staining mass embedded in which the remnants 
of the nuclei appear as very densely stained lumps and 
granules. This mass may persist after the entire process 
of fertilization is complete (Figs. 15 and 1 j a) in some cases, 
and it may remain in the tube or it may be carried through 
into the oogonium after the basal wall of the tube has been 
broken down. In very many cases it can still be recognized 
in the tube after the fruit-body is practically mature, and the 
oogonium and antheridium appear as mere empty shells. The 
antheridial nuclei continue to pass through the pore into the 
tube until the latter is quite densely filled (Fig. 14) and 
sometimes a trifle swollen. 
