CONNECTION OF NERVE AND MUSCLE. 



245 



number of the muscle-fibres which compose the muscle. 

 Till the nerve approaches the muscle-fibre, it retains its 

 three characteristic marks — the neurilemma, medullary 

 sheath, and axis-cvlinder. When near the muscle-fibre, 

 the nerve suddenly becomes thinner, loses the medul- 

 lary sheath, then again thickens, the neurilemma co- 



Fig. 67. Terminations of nekves in the muscles of a guinea-pig. 



alesces with the sarcolemma of the muscle-fibre, and 

 the axis-cylinder passes directly into a structure which 

 lies within the sarcolemma pouch, in immediate con- 

 tact with the actual muscle-substance, and is called the 

 terminal nerve-plate. Fig. 67 represents this passing 

 of the nsrve into the muscle as it occurs in mammals. 

 In other animals the form of the terminal plate is some- 



