122 AMERICAN SPIDERS AND THEIR SPINNINGWORK. 



IV. 



The atrophy of the muscles begins by their regeneration into globules 



of grease (gl.g, Fig. 83), which, as the process progresses, are conjoined, 



embracing one another without interblending, forming large drops 



Atrophy or p 0r t,i O ns of grease (p.g), whose ultimate role is to undergo 



decomposition and serve as nutritive matter. Three days after 



amputation these fatty globules may be seen among the fibres 



of the muscles, and along with them blood corpuscles ; the latter undergo 



modification in size, increasing to three or four times their original volume. 



It appears that the regeneration of the grease does not continue until the 



final disappearance of the muscles, but extends to the epoch at which the 



transverse striation disappears. 



Eighteen or nineteen days after amputation the muscles that had 

 decayed from the joint show fine fibrilles, without transverse striation, 

 which generally disappear very gradually and slowly. A few days there- 

 after there remain only a few fragments of muscular tissue floating within 

 a structureless mass, wherein the blood cells, which they there meet under 

 their special forms, put an end to their activity, and destroy the final 

 remainders of mortification. 



Fig. 83 presents a view of the process as above described, which is rep- 

 resented in the lower part of the drawing beneath the cupola formed by the 

 retracted matrix. Here is indicated the point in the matrix where 

 Origin ^j ie regeneration of fatty globules has begun (Mt.r) ; the globules 

 ?. f and drops of grease (gl.g, p.g) are seen floating in the struct- 

 ureless mass of nutritive material which is being recruited by 

 the decay of the muscles. 



One sees the distribution of this material through the orifice in the 

 cupola, into the upper cavity of the stump, and therein the new limb is 

 seen in process of formation. The part next the base of the new joint is 

 shown at pt 1 ; that which is to form the tip at pt 3, and the middle 

 part of the neoformation at pt 2. 



V. 



Soon after amputation, three to five days with spiders of middle age, 



in that part of the matrix which at this epoch is retracted from the 



cuticle, one sees appearing upon the superior or dorsal part of 



the cupola an excrescence or papilla. (Fig. 84, pt.) The matrix 



T and the conjunctive tissue beneath it are bent, and thus form 



this excrescence. The cavity of this excrescence contains blood 



cells. This papilla grows rapidly in length and soon bends at the summit. 



(Fig. 85, pt.) At this epoch its basal part begins to articulate, presenting 



thus the first joint of the foot, the basal joint, pending which the others 



do not exist at all. This joint is the thicker part of the neoformation. 



