MUNSON: SPERMATOGENESIS OF PAPILIO. 
57 
found in cells whose function has been discharged, and which are to 
be eliminated. Of course no such cause could be assigned here. The 
multinuclear condition of the larger of these cells certainly suggests 
that nuclear division has taken place, while division of the cytoplasm 
has not followed in the usual way. The compact condition of the 
nuclei and the consequent capacity for staining suggest an inertness 
on the part of the chromatin, which in the normal cells becomes sepa¬ 
rated soon after mitosis by the secretion within and the accumulation 
around it of the hyaline karyolymph. In these cells the karyolymph 
seems not to be produced. 
In my work on Clemmys (’ 04 ) and also in my work onLimulus (’ 98 ), 
I came to the conclusion that through the action of the chromatin 
directly, or indirectly through chromatin nucleoli, a nuclear matrix, 
nucleoplasm, was formed as a result of chemical action; that this 
nucleoplasm enters the cytoplasm and acts as a digestive fluid on sub¬ 
stances entering the cell as food from without. As a result of this, 
metaplasm (a form of arehoplasm) arises, and is the culture medium 
of the living substance, i. e., the result of synthetic metabolism which 
most resembles the living formed substance itself, and which conse¬ 
quently alone can serve as food. 
If those conclusions are correct (they are based on evidence), then 
the degenerating cells of these gonocysts are simply dying from starva¬ 
tion resulting from indigestion, the chromatin having lost the power, 
as we see, to generate the necessary karyolymph. 
Every trace of nuclear membrane and cell membrane disappears; 
the cytoplasm becomes granular, and finally seems to crumble into 
fragments; the whole cyst finally is dissipated in the fluids of the testis, 
and probably serves to enrich the latter with nutritive material for the 
support of other cysts. This degeneration also occurs later during 
the period of growth and even during maturation. There may be 
several such degenerating cysts in the same follicle. Usually all the 
cells in degenerating cysts are equally affected; but occasionally some 
cells still have their normal appearance. They all, however, ulti¬ 
mately degenerate and crumble to pieces. 
\ 
The Cytocyst. 
Like the gonocyst the cytocyst continues spherical. But unlike 
the gonocyst, it is a hollow vesicle (pi. 12, fig. 5, cy. c .; pi. 13, fig. 35- 
39). If we compare the gonocyst to the morula of a developing egg, 
