STRUCTURE OF MUSCLES. 123 



opinion, equally remarkable, prevail among observers, with 

 regard to the appearances of these primary fibres. 



LEEUWENHCECK found the filaments of the muscles of a 

 frog transversely striated. When recent, they were cylin- 

 drical ; but, upon drying, they contracted, and exhibited a 

 groove on one side *. Mr BAUER describes them as moni- 

 liform -f% and apparently constructed of a series of globules. 

 These globules Sir E. HOME is inclined to consider as the 

 remains of the globules of the blood, from which they have 

 originated, adhering in a line ; an opinion which the facts 

 of the case by no means warrant J. 



At the extremities of the muscular fibres, where they 

 are attached to the more solid parts, there are usually threads 

 of a substance, differing in its appearance from the muscle, 

 and denominated Tendon or Sinew. The tendons are, in 

 general, of a silvery-white colour, a close, firm, fibrous tex- 

 ture, and possess great tenacity. The threads of which 

 they consist, are attached on the one extremity to the sur- 

 face of a bone, or other hard part ; and on the other, they 

 are variously interspersed amongthe fibres or bundles of the 

 muscle. They are considered as destitute of sensibility 

 and irritability, and form a passive link between the muscle 

 and the bone, or other point of support. 



The muscles, after being freed from those substances 

 which adhere to them, such as bloodvessels and cellular tis- 



* Oper. Om. vol. ii. p. 58, f. 4 & p. 59. f. 5. 



f- By the term Moniliform naturalists in general refer to an organ, con- 

 sisting of globules lineally and closely arranged, like the beads of a neck- 

 lace. When the globules press so closely as to alter their shape, and render 

 the line of separation less distinct, the term Jointed is usually applied. On 

 the other hand, when the globules are a little distant from one another, with 

 an apparent connecting thread, the term Pcrfoliate is substituted. 



PhiL Trans. 1818, tab. viii. f. 4, 5, 6, 



