Researches on tlie Discharge of the Electric Organ. 25 



stimulus is small when the closing-stimulus is very great or when 

 the opening-stimulus is very small. The increase of Ir in No. 37 

 and No. 40 with the decrease of the breadth of the stimulus Avould 

 show that the narrower the stimulus the smaller the effect of the 

 opening-stinuilus. 



The last cui-ve in Plate VIII. shows that the formula inay he 

 applied to the discharge caused by an indirect stimulus, if a small 

 part 'of the organ is taken. The figure represents a curve re- 

 produced from Oscillogram No. C. 3. which is not shown in this 

 paper. The constants obtained by the ordinary way are : — 



No. C. 3. 



A = 55-4 mm., 

 .f^ = 57G X 10~* sec, 

 Ir = Ö-83, 

 M. L. P. = 102-2x10-' sec. 



The temperature of the organ was 10 5° C. The stimulus was 

 indirect and descending. From the order of magnitude of the 

 constants, Ave may suppose that the discharge is not simple. It 

 .seems to the author that the opening-stinuilus liad some effect on 

 the response curve. 



From the altove discussion we lind that: — 



i.) When the discharge is simple, the time-curve of the 

 electrcnnotive force of it may be represented by the formula 



7/ = Ae~^'^^S'7,. where the origin of the discharge is at the stimulus. 



ii.) The departure h'om the above law, as in No. 54, may be 

 considered to be apparent, the superposition of the discharge by 

 the opening-stimulus changing the values of the constants. 



iii.) The modal latent period of a simple discharge remains 

 constant in spite of the change of the magnitude of the stimulus. 



iv.) 44ie value of //' seems to vary a little with the height 

 of the discharge, but the relation is not clear on account of the 

 overlapping of the errors of the same order of magnitude. 



V.) It is very doubtful whether the so-called latent period 

 has a definite meaning. It should be a function of the sensitivity 

 of the instrument l)v which it is determine»!. 



