EYE OF NOTORYOTES TYPHLOPS. 551 



It is probable, however, that the present positions of these 

 muscle slips are not indicative of their homology with the 

 muscles of a normal eye. They are very variable both in 

 length, position and size, and having changed their insertion 

 from the true eye capsule to the abnormal fibrous cone, and 

 lost their striated character, it seems not unreasonable to 

 suppose that they may have lost their typical positions rela- 

 tive to each other. The condition of degeneration of these 

 muscles may be compared with that in Amblyopsis [1, 

 p. 561] and Troglichthys [1, p. 579], and contrasted with 

 that in such forms as Scalops, Proteus [6, p. 77], Typhlo- 

 triton [3, p. 35],Siphonops [6, p. 100], Typhlops [6, p. 124], 

 Talpa [G, p. 30], where they are well developed, or with 

 such as Typhlichthys [1, p. 571], Typhlomolge [2, p. 52], 

 and Rhineura [4, p. 537], where they are still more degene- 

 rate than in Notoryctes, and even sometimes absent alto- 

 gether. 



In Proteus, although the six muscles are present, the indi- 

 vidual fibres are, according to Kohl, in an embryonic condi- 

 tion, not having yet developed into striated fibres. In 

 Typhlops and Talpa also he considers that the unstriated 

 fibres often found mingled with others are evidence of the 

 imperfect development of the muscles, while in Myxine 

 [6, p. 51; and 6^ p. 195] the masses of connective tissue in 

 the place of the recti are accepted as being the predecessors 

 of the true muscles, and not degenerate eye muscles. I 

 cannot, however, but think that in Notoryctes at all events 

 we have eye-muscles which have degenerated in company 

 with the remainder of the eye, unless, indeed, we are to 

 think that these fibrous bands are neither the relics nor the 

 forerunners of the normal eye-muscles, but are new develop- 

 ments in connection with the abnormal conical capsule. 



Glands. 



At about the level of the vertical plane of the front of the 

 muscle region there appears the enormous development of 



