34 H. BERKELBACH VAN DER SPRENKEL 
ment of the sensory centers of the lateralis nerves to a supposed 
hypertrophy of the sensory roots of the branchial nerves. He 
considered the dorsal enlargement of the bulb behind the cere- 
bellum as a magnified tuberculum impar of cyprinoids on account 
of its fusion in the mid-line and its position directly behind the 
cerebellum. Since the tuberculum impar of cyprinoids is the 
end-station of the visceral VII root, Sanders supposed that also 
in Mormyrus this taste nerve was exceedingly developed (loc. 
Cite: Pasi Go): 
C. J. Herrick, who had no material of Mormyrus himself, in 
his work on the central gustatory paths? deduces from Sanders’ 
description that the enormous development of the lateral lobes 
of the valvula cerebelli in Mormyrus is due to the exaggeration 
of gustatory functions. “It appears probable,’”’ he says, ‘‘that 
the lateral lobes are related to gustatory reflexes,’ although 
“the chief connections of the cerebellum are tactile, acustico- 
lateral and visual.’’ My own researches, which demonstrate 
that the visceral sensory nerves in Mormyrus are rather less than 
more developed than in an average form of teleost, and certainly 
much less than in ecyprinoids, show that the interpretation of 
Sanders, as well as the conclusion drawn by C. J. Herrick, are 
mistaken, and that Franz’s nomenclature of the nerves and con- 
sequently also his interpretation of the bulb are wrong. 
Before dealing with the lateralis and vestibular nerves I shall 
briefly describe the general morphology of the centers in question, 
from which it will appear that their general relations (though 
they are enormously increased in size) can be compared with the 
conditions of the same systems as found in Silurus. 
In Silurus we could distinguish the lobe of the nervus lateralis 
posterior by its lateral position from the lobe of the anterior 
lateral nerve, which occupies a more medial position and extends 
farther backward. Both lobes, the lateral and the medial, in- 
crease in size in more frontal sections and fuse in the dorsal mid- 
line with the contralateral lobes. "The lobe of the posterior 
lateral nerve, that is the more lateral lobe, increases in size 
38 Toc. cit., Jour. Comp. Neur., vol. 15, 1905, p. 452. 
