e 
94 W.M. Carpenter on the Muscles in the Glass Snake. 
muscular arrangement A B C D E, belongs to one bone, while 
the arrangement F' G H, belongs to the adjacent bone. The 
points of attachment of these two muscles to their respective 
bones, may be represented by the points* and **. The cones F 
and H, of the muscles of one bone, fit into the cones A B C and 
C D E of the other, while the cone C of the latter, fits into the 
cone G of the former. 'Thus the muscular cones of the succes- 
sive bones, mutually invaginate into each other, where they are 
retained, not by fibrous attachments, but merely by fitting nicely 
into each other, and by the harmony of their contractions one 
upon another. 
The muscles in their natural position, surrounding the bodies 
of the bones, form the fleshy cylinder of the animal, as at f, fig. 1 
This is surrounded by a thin fascial sheath, which lies ienrneilia 
ately under the skin, as represented at e, fig. 1, and ‘which con- 
stitutes the principal means by which the bores and muscles are 
held together in the direction of their length ; as the skin, though © 
forming rather strong rings around the body, separates easily into 
these rings when force is applied in the direction of the length of 
the animal. 
This animal is not only easily broken by blows, but has like- 
wise the power, when caught, of casting off the part of the tail 
which is held. It is also said that the Anguis fragilis of Europe, 
possesses the same power. This power may be accounted for, 
by supposing the animal capable of exercising separate and dis- 
tinet control over the contractions of each of the muscular cones. 
This being the case, if the animal contract all the invaginated 
cones belonging toa bone, and does not contract the invaginating 
cones, it is evident that it would cause a partial loosening and 
drawing out of the invaginated cones; and as the cohesion of 
this. arrangement seems.to be one of the principal 
forces that holds the different segments together longitudinally, 
