222 Journal of Comparative Neurology. 



as a longitudinal band from which, from point to point and at 

 varying intervals, ' troop-like terminal expansions' clasp the en- 

 tire circumference of the fiber. To these the name of "annu- 

 lo-spiral ribbon endings "• is given. 



Secondary form of ending. The parent nerve also divides 

 into secondary branches but usually only after having pene- 

 trated the spindle. "The secondary branches soon break up 

 into a number of varicose axis cylinders, united by very deli- 

 cate and short filaments. The varicosity of the nerve-fibrils is 

 of various kinds, rounded, bifid, triangular, leaflet-like." This 

 ending is called the " flower- wreath ending." 



Plate-like ending. These vary greatly in size. Some are 

 smaller than the end-plates, some equal to them in size some 

 much larger ; the last named are the most usual. They differ 

 from the ordinary end-plate. " The terminal expansion of these 

 plate-endings are attached to short and extremely dehcate fila- 

 ments, so that they form, -as it were, chaplets, in which rounded 

 axis-cylinders and cross-pieces of the finest delicacy succeed 

 each other in turn." 



These three forms of endings are not found in every spin- 

 dle. Ruffini thus distinguishes three forms of spindles : 



1. Spindles with complex nerve ending ; 



2. Spindles with simpler nerve ending ; 



3. Spindles with simplest nerve ending. 



As to the first four of the five papers here briefly reviewed 

 we wish to add only a few words of comment : 



1. From the observations in pathological cases referred to 

 in the above review, it would seem safe to venture the state- 

 ment, that in such cases where the motor nerves or muscle fibers 

 are primarily affected, the muscle-spindle is not altered in ap- 

 pearance so far as may be determined with the more ordinary 

 histological methods. 



2. Strangely as it may seem, after section of the nerve 

 going to the muscle, the muscle-spindle does not materially alter 

 its structural appearances, even after a considerable period of 

 time has elapsed since the section of the nerve. This seems 



