230 Nic-hols, A morphoiogical study of Juniperus communis var. depressa. 
and it will readily be seen that there is considerable diversity in 
their relative size. Noren (1907) states tbat in tbe European 
form tbe two are nearly equal, and, as figs. 97—99 sbow, tbis is 
often tbe case, but it is by no means tbe rule. Tbe Volumetrie 
ratio, for example, of tbe nuclei represented in %. 100 is about 
4:1. Tbe mass of cytoplasm and stareb derived from tbe male 
cell (indicated in tbe smaller figures by tbe dotted line) gradually 
surrounds tbe conjugating nuclei, so tbat tbere is neveF any possi- 
bility of mistaking tbe fusion nucleus for an unfertilized egg nucleus. 
After tbe union tbe fusion nucleus gradually migrates toward tbe 
base of tbe egg. 
Tbe two nuclei apparently fuse wbile in a resting condition 
(fig. 102). Previous to tbe dissolution of tbe membranes between 
tbem tbere sometimes appears to be a condensation of tbe sub- 
stance of tbe male nucleus near tbe surface of contact, but, altbougb 
more tban tbirty arebegonia were examined wbicb sbowed tbe 
male and female nuclei in contact witb one anotber, in none of 
tbem was tbere any indication tbat tbe spirems of tbe first Seg¬ 
mentation division are formed before tbe dissolution of tbe dividing 
membranes, as is tbe case in Pinus (Ferguson 1904). A still 
larger nurnber of conjugating nuclei were found in wbicb fusion 
bad taken place, yet in none of tbese was tbe writer able to 
distinguisb tbe male from tbe female elements until tbe Organization 
of tbe definite spirems just previous to tbe first Segmentation 
division. 
Tbe nucleus of tbe fertilized egg presents various appearances 
wbicb, in tbe ligbt of present knowledge, it is impossible to inter- 
pret satisfactorily. Noren’s figures (1904, fig. 4; 1907, figs. 76, 77) 
sbow tbe structure very well, so far as it can be made out. As 
a rule a faintly staining network is visible, but sometimes tbe 
entire content of tbe nucleus, witb the exception of tbe various 
nucleolus-like bodies, appears almost bomogeneous. Tbe most con- 
spieuous structures are tbe nucleoli and pseudonucleoli wbicb are 
usually indistinguisbable from one anotber. Tbese may be bunebed 
together or distributed tbrougb tbe nucleus; tbey may appear in- 
timately connected witb tbe reticulum or entirely disassociated 
from it; and their afiinity for stains also varies greatly,—in some 
cases all stain deeply witb iron-baematoxylin, wbile again some 
stain scarcely at all. 
Development of tbe proembryo. — Blackman (1898) 
observes tbat in tbe fusion nucleus of Pinus “tbe ebromosomes of 
tbe male and female nuclei could be distinguisbed into two groups 
at tbe time wben tbe first Segmentation spindle was in tbe multi- 
polar condition”, wbile Cbamberlain (1899), working indepen- 
dently, reports tbe presence witbin tbe oospore nucleus in tbis 
genus of two distinct spirems. Tbe results of tbese two writers 
are amply confirmed by tbe extensive investigations of Miss Fer¬ 
guson (1904), wbile Woycicki (1899) and Murrill (1900) find 
similar pbenomena in Larix and Tsuga respectively. Under such 
conditions, as Blackman points out, tbe process of fertilization 
