'j6 AVERS. [Vol. VI. 



ture and functions of the small paranuclear bodies is entirely 

 unknown. 



The filaments either pass into the nucleus or are closely 

 applied to its surface as they pass it by. Considering the fact 

 that the nucleus itself presents an appearance in harmony with 

 the actual penetration of the capillo-nuclear filaments, it is not 

 out of the way to conclude that there is such structural relation 

 between these sensory fibres and the body of the nucleus. The 

 fibres which leave the nucleus over its lower hemisphere arrive 

 in due course at the bottom of the cell, and are only separated 

 from the nerve end by the cell membrane. It is admissible, 

 however, that these nucleo-neural filaments may with truth be 

 cahed the prolongations of the nerve inwards to the cell nucleus; 

 but that is a minor consideration as compared with the fact of 

 the actual connection of the two ends of the cell by direct pro- 

 toplasmic paths of such definite arrangement as to leave no 

 doubt of their general nature as mediators between the per- 

 cipient cochlear hairs and the transmitting cochlear nerves. 



Since the above was written I have received a paper by Dr. 

 K. C. Schneider, entitled " Untersuchungen liber die Zelle," in 

 Clmis Arbciten, IX, 2, 1891, in which the author shows that 

 such a condition of the nucleus as I figure in PI. V is the ordi- 

 nary condition for all cells. The author further describes the 

 relations of the nuclear and cellular protoplasmic motile fila- 

 ments at length, and figures on PL I, F^ig. 7, the projection of 

 vibratile cilia beyond the surface of the cell, i.e. through the 

 cell wall, and their continuation centred into the nucleus. As 

 such a condition is the normal one for the Infusoria, it is not 

 at all strange that in the sensory structures of higher animals 

 the extra-cellular projections should be continued structurally 

 into the nuclear network. Schneider's definition — or perhaps 

 I should say deinonstration — of the nature of the cell wall 

 enables us to readily conceive how the nerve threads (I do not 

 mean axis cylinders, but the ultimate threads resulting from the 

 breaking up of such a nerve end as we encountered in the case 

 of the hair cells) may easily penetrate into the cell, or even estab- 

 lish protoplasmic continuity zvithoitt so penetrating. 



So that we are not compelled to make the assumption of a 

 penetration in order to establish an actual continuity of the two 



