528 'Journal of Comparative Neurology and Psychology. 



The present paper is an outline of the more sahent features 

 of the origin and peripheral distribution of the cranial nerves of 

 Amphiuma means with reference to their components. Inas- 

 much as the nervous systems of but two of the urodele amphibians 

 have been analyzed into their components (see Bowers 1900, 

 and CoGHiLL 1902), it seems to the writer that the time is not 

 ripe for making detailed comparisons. For that reason the 

 present account deals chiefly with facts of description. 



The material studied consisted of individuals varying from 55 

 to 300 milHmeters in length, sectioned through the head trans- 

 versely and sagittally. Fixation was for the most part in VOM 

 Rath's picric-acetic-osmic-platinic mixture. Plate IV is from 

 plottings of a series of cross-sections, ten micra in thickness, pre- 

 pared by the paraffin method, supplemented and checked up by 

 a number of series sectioned in celloidin. Plates V to VII are 

 chiefly from material sectioned in celloidin, sections fifteen and 

 twenty micra in thickness. Counter-stains, when used, were 

 either gold-orange or acid fuchsin. As individuals small enough 

 to make sectioning of the entire body feasible are seldom obtained, 

 there is still lacking detailed information regarding some of the 

 cranial nerve branches that pass back into the trunk of the body. 

 The nervous system of Amphiuma is favorable for study because 

 of the differential staining that results from fixation in voM Rath's 

 fluid. The lateralis components become intensely black; motor 

 fibers are a dark gray; general cutaneous fibers are brown-black; 

 and the communis system with slight development of myelin is 

 but lightly colored. As the methods employed do not differen- 

 tiate the sympathetic fibers, no description of the sympathetic 

 system is attempted here. 



There is evidently a need for a thorough revision of the nomen- 

 clature of the sub-divisions of the cranial nerves of Amphibia, but 

 more facts are needed upon which to base comparisons. In this 

 paper the older names are employed as far as consistent with the 

 existing state of information upon the subject. 



2. THE OLFACTORY NERVE. 



Little need be added to the account given by Kingsley. A 

 little anterior to the level of the posterior border of the eyeball 

 fibers begin to arise from the olfactory glomeruli on the dorso- 



