MUSCLES. 51 



1 he striped muscular fibre is continuous throughout 

 its whole length, and this corresponds accurately with tongue ' 

 that of the fasciculus, or bundle, of which it forms a 

 constituent part. Up to the present time we know 

 of but two organs which constitute exceptions to this 

 law, and these are the heart and the tongue. The 

 muscular fibres of the heart are branched, and form 

 very frequent anastomoses, recalling the disposition 

 of the columnce carnece of the ventricles, and explain- 

 ing the admirable correspondence and unity of action 

 in the movements of the organ (PL X. fig. III). The 

 fibres of the tongue give off branches only in its sub- 

 mucous layer of muscular tissue, and these do not 

 appear to anastomose. They terminate by pointed 

 extremities which are attached to minute fasciculi of 

 connective fibres, which seem to act as their tendons 

 at least this is the opinion of most authorities. 

 The ultimate fibres of striped muscle are united 

 together by delicate lamellae of connecting tissue 

 (perymisium), and thus constitute secondary fasciculi. 

 These again, surrounded by sheaths of the same 

 material, but somewhat more dense, form tertiary 

 fasciculi ; and, finally, the entire muscle is enveloped 

 by a still stouter sheath which forms its external 

 perymisium. In this outer membrane we find the 

 ramifications of the nerves and nutritious vessels of 

 the muscle. 



The striated fibre terminates by a rounded extre- Termination of 



J striated fibres. 



mity, which is simply in close apposition with its 

 tendon. Nevertheless Kolliker asserts that this 

 arrangement, which is certainly the most common of 

 all, is found to exist only where the muscular fibre 



