1866.] 3 [Wilder. 



net of connective tissue stretched transversely from sclerotic to choroid. The 

 whole tissue is thin and insignificant; nothing is seen of a compact mass. 



The Annulus cilians of the ruminants appears as a firm mass of grayish white 

 color consisting of connective tissue. It is wedge shaped, placed between the 

 sclerotic and choroid, and varies considerably in its dimensions. The individ- 

 ual bundles lie here also close together so as to leave no interspaces. 



In Vol. XI, Part third, of the "Archlv fiir Ophthalmolooie," Dr. 

 Heiberg of Christiania has published an article on the anatomy and 

 physiology of the Zonula Zinnii, in which he concludes from microscop- 

 ical examination that there are in it true muscular fibres, which he 

 thinks by pulling on the capsule of the lens, flatten it, and thereby 

 adapt it for rays from distant objects, producing what has been called 

 negative accommodation. He gives microscopic drawings of these 

 fibres from the zonula of the hoi-se, and also from man, resemblino- 

 the striped muscular fibre of animal life with nuclei. Were this pos- 

 itively so, it certainly would be a very important fact, but Prof J. 

 Henle of Gottingen, has in the last j^ublished poi-tion of his System- 

 atic Human Anatomy, shown that this transverse marking is very 

 different from that of muscle of animal life, and is due to a very fine 

 folding of the fibre caused by the action of the acetic acid, the same 

 as is produced on fibres of connecting tissue. The zonula fibres are 

 nearest allied to fibres of elastic tissue, yet differ from these in their 

 reaction to acetic acid and potash. Finkbeiner thought he found 

 striped muscular fibres in the zonula. Nuhn, as also Dr. Heiberg, found 

 that a certain proportion of these fibres became striped from the ac- 

 tion of the acetate of the oxide of lead and acetic acid, and thought 

 therefore as others (Camper, Retzius) that they were muscular, al- 

 though this could not be proved cither chemically, or by electric irri- 

 tation. Dr. Heiberg says, however, that he found these fibres in the 

 horse's eye when fresh. 



The following paper was read : 



On a Cat with supernumerary Digits. By Burt G. WiLDini. 



Instances are not very rare of cats having six toes upon the fore 

 feet, but in this case, inste.xd of /?ye, one fore foot had seven, the other 

 six, and each hinder ?oot five toes instead of four, the usual number. 



The additions are all upon the radial and tibial borders of tlie 

 hands and feet, so as to be extra thumbs and great-toes ; but, though 

 well formed and bearing both pads and claws, they do not seem to be 

 under control of the animal, and though freely moveable at their 

 attachment to the feet, yet the phalanges (at least two in number) 

 of which they are composed, have little or no motion upon each 

 other. 



