240 THE NERVOUS SYSTEM. 



exhibit a cuticular structure (the "membrana reticularis "), 

 with openings for the ends of the hair-cells. 



External to the outer hair-cells is a zone of long colum- 

 nar epithelium-cells (cells of Hensen), which externally be- 

 come shorter and merge into a zone of low columnar epi- 

 thelium (cells of Claudius)} the latter occupy the outermost 

 part of the basilar membrane and are continuous with 

 the squamous epithelium lining the outer wall of the scala 

 media. 



Attached to the labium vestibulare of the limbus is a soft 

 structure, the membrana tectoria, which extends outward over 

 the organ of Corti. 



Nerve-fibrils from the cochlear branch of the auditory nerve 

 terminate among the hair cells of the organ of Corti. The 

 cochlear nerve lies in the modiolus, and sends branches 

 laterally into the lamina spiralis, where they are associated 

 with nerve-cells to form the spiral ganglion; from the 

 ganglion the nerve-fibres pass out into the organ of Corti 

 at the labium tympanicum. 



