86 Wisconsin Academy of Sciences , Arts and Letters . 
The starch masses of the sixteen spore mother-cells in a spore 
sac are placed so as to be removed as far as possible from each 
other. This suggests that the position of the starch mass in 
the cell may be determined by metabolic requirements. The 
region of the starch mass is probably at times the seat of great 
metabolic activities in the cell. At least the greater part of 
interchange of materials between the spore mother-cells and the 
exterior occurs through the tapetum; on the other hand, there 
is considerable evidence that the nucleus is intimately concern¬ 
ed with the metabolic activities of the cell. 4 Now, the location 
of the starch masses of the sixteen spore mother-cells of a spore 
sac is such that they lie in a position of maximum advantage 
with reference to an interchange of metabolic materials and 
products with the surrounding tapetum on the one hand and 
to proximity to the nucleus on the other. 
It is to be noted that the spore mother-cell at this 
stage presents a distinct polar organization. A line drawn 
through the center of the starch aggregation and through 
the center of the nucleus would represent the main axis of the 
cell. The first conspicuous evidence of this organization 
is the appearance of the starch mass at a definite place in the 
cytoplasm. It is to be noted further that the nucleus it¬ 
self as yet shows no evidence of polarity. In synapsis, 
however, which soon sets in, the nucleus presents sev¬ 
eral most interesting features bearing on its organization at 
this time. The synaptic mass, as is commonly the case, col¬ 
lects on one side of the nucleus, and, as I previously noted, in 
Marsilia it is invariably on the side of the nucleus next to the 
starch aggregation in the cytoplasm. This stage is of long du¬ 
ration, so that great numbers of cells are found in this condi- 
*Kiister (Ueber die peziehungen der Lage des Zellkerns zu Zellen- 
wachstum und Membranbildung. Flora, xcvii:l, 1907) has recently* 
thrown doubt on Haberlandt’s work (B.eziehungen zwischen Func¬ 
tion und Lage des Zellkerns bei den Pflanzen, Jena, 1887) concerning 
the relation between the nucleus and the metabolic activities of the 
cell. There are, however, numerous other data pointing to such a 
relation. I have in mind especially the results obtained on secreting 
cells, particularly animal cells. 
