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Scanning electron microscopic study of tile pattern of ciliary coordination and the form of the ciliary beat is now possible. Rapid fixation stops tile ciliary activity instantaneously, and critical point drying avoids distortion of the cilia by surface tension forces. Such stuidies have been made on the ciliate Opalina with this new technique.

An electron microscope study of the compound eye of the termite Mastotermes darwiniensis shows that the ommatidia have both primitive and specialized features. The ommatidia are of the apposition type with eight similar retinular cells, a fused rhabdom, irregularly orientated rhabdomere tubules and no tracheae. The retinula cells contain lipid. The cone cells have unusual processes, which thicken towards the basement membrane and contain rough endoplasmic reticulum, granules and dense bodies. These processes may act as a primitive transport system for nutrients.