MUSCLE DEGENERATION IN AMPHIBIA 73 



tissues above named and are taken up by the leucocytes, trans- 

 forming them into the eosinophile type. These observations 

 extend the scope of Weidenreich's views to the amphibia. 



During the larval period only an occasional eosinophile leuco- 

 cyte can be found in the blood stream. A few cells containing 

 eosinophile granules can also be demonstrated in the connective 

 tissue. The number of eosinophile cells at this stage of develop- 

 ment is so small that only after considerable searching could one 

 be found. During the period of transformation, eosinophile cells 

 can invariably be demonstrated in connection with degenerating 

 muscle, the number of those cells corresponding approximately 

 with the advancement of degeneration. Where degeneration is at 

 its greatest height a large accumulation of eosinophile cells is 

 present (fig. 2) . Also more eosinophile cells can be demonstrated 

 in the blood stream and especially in the connective tissue in the 

 neighborhood of the degenerating parts during the period of trans- 

 formation than before or after this period. No differential counts 

 were made of the leucocytes in the blood stream. The greater 

 number of eosinophile cells during the perod of metamorphosis 

 was evident by the great frequency in their occurrence when 

 searching for them in the sections. 



In the section from which figure 3 was photographed can be 

 seen free eosinophile granules lying among the debris of degenerat- 

 ing muscle. That these granules lie free in the regions mentioned 

 is beyond doubt for when the sections are followed along in serial 

 order they are not found to lie in the bodies of leucocytes but lie 

 loose in the intercellular spaces. These granules, apparently 

 formed from the degenerating muscle and degerating erythrocytes, 

 vary somewhat in size, but the majority closely approximate in 

 size and hue those found in the eosinophile leucocytes. They 

 have various positions in respect to the degenerating muscles fibers. 

 They may be found among lymphocytes or eosinophile leucocytes 

 some distance away from a muscle fiber, scattered promiscuously' 

 among them, strung along in a row between two adjacent fibers, 

 or often in small recesses of a muscle fiber. Some muscle fibers 

 can be seen, the central portions of which are completely degen- 

 erated, the gap between the two remaining ends being filled in 



