With the aid of C-banding technique the sequence of the first meiotic prophase stages in the anthers of rye has been determined as follows: synizesis, pachytene, early diplotene, diffuse stage, second contraction, late diplotene, and diakinesis. The heterochromatic regions fuse together twice, during the formation of the synizetic knot and in the second contraction stage. After the second fusion, in diplotene and diakinesis prominent interchromosomal connections were always visible mainly between the heterochromatic regions of the bivalents. Similar fibers were also observed in diplotene-diakinesis stages in Feulgen-Giemsa stained preparations. Most of the interchromosomal connections seem to disappear before the first metaphase stage. The main function of the interconnections is suggested to keep the bivalents in contact to each other before the spindle fibers are formed.