Metazoa Rana. 



275 



together by connective tissue, to which we may now briefly 



vpfpj- 



' . . FIG. 136. FIBRES 



Connective tissue, which performs, as OF NON- STRIPED 



. .. . , . , MUSCLE. (Quain.) 



its name indicates, a purely mechanical 

 function, namely, that of binding other 

 tissues together or sheathing special 

 organs, consists typically of three elements 

 white fibres, elastic fibres, and cells 

 (figs. 137-9). The white fibres are pale, 

 extremely fine and wavy, and unbranched; 

 the elastic fibres, on the other hand, are 



FlG. 134. A MUSCLE- 

 FIBRE TORN SO AS TO 

 SHOW SARCOLEMMA 



AND NUCLEI. (Quain.) 



FIG. 135. BRANCHED MUSCLE 



FIBRE FROM THE TONGUE OF 



THE FROG. (Quain.) 



sharply defined, branched, and show a disposition to curl 

 up at their free ends. The connective-tissue cells are 



T 2 



