60 O B S E R V A T I O N S ON THE
Thefe fpheroidul bodies adhere firmly to each other, and to the outer
part of the nerve.
The fpheroidal bodies confift of a tough outer tranfparent membrane, or
Ikin, which contains a vifcid tranfparent humour, in the heart of wliich
there is always one white or opake body, but, generally, we ihall find two
fuch bodies, bent in a figmoid way We may compare thefe fpheroidal
bodies to an egg, with its iliell peeled off; only we muil imagine the ferpentine
bodies to be fubilituted in place of the yolk.
After drying the fpheroidal bodies, the ferpentine white bodies are ilill
very diitinguilhablc. They are fo like in colour and confiftence to the
cretaceous fubftance in the ear of a Ikate, that I have fome fufpicion they
are cretaceous; but I neglefted to try a proper experiment to determine this
point.
None of tliefe fpheroidal bodies are connedted to the olfadory or optic
nerves -f, nor to the trunk of the portio mollis; but fome threads from
the portio mollis feem to be joined to them, between the membranes of the
femicircular canals of the ear and the cafes of bone which contain them.
They are alfo wanting in the courfe of a pair of nerves from the brain,
which runs down the fides of thefe fiilies J,
Thefe bodies, no doubt, ferve fome office of high importance; and, perhaps,
an accurate comparifon of this with other kinds of fiilies, and
with other animals, may ferve to throw light on the nature of the nervous*
energy.
A t
• See Tab. XXXII. Fig. 3. Tab. XXXIII. Fig. 2. 3.
t See Tab. XXXII. Fig. 1.
I See Tab. XXXII. Fig. i. S.
N E R V O U S S Y S T E M . 6i
A t firll, I fuppofed thefe bodies might fupply the place of ganglia, which
I found wanting at the roots of their fpinal nerves. But, in other fiihes^
there feems to be a iimilar defeil of fuch ganglia.
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