UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PUBLICATIONS 



IN 



ZOOLOGY 



Vol. 18, No. 8, pp. 135-144, 1 figure in text January 10, 1918 



THE FUNCTION OF THE GIANT FIBERS 

 IN EARTHWORMS 



BY 



JOHN F. BOVARD 



CONTENTS 



PAGE 



Introduction 13(5 



I. General functions of the nerve cord 136 



1. Biedermann 's theory 136 



2. Muscle not responsible for rhythmic movements 136 



3. Friedlander 's theory of giant fiber action 136 



Materials and methods 137 



I. Material used 137 



II. Methods used 137 



1. Simple transection 137 



2. Removal of short sections of the cord 137 



3. Effects of the operation and recovery 138 



Regeneration experiments 138 



I. Effects of simple transverse section 138 



1. Recovery of activity of locomotor fibers 139 



2. Recovery of activity of giant fibers 139 



II. Removal of short pieces of the cord 140 



1. Recovery of locomotor fiber activity 141 



2. Recovery of giant fiber activity 142 



III. Comparison of results with those of Straub and Friedlander 142 



Experiments with stovaine -, 143 



I. Methods 143 



IT. Recovery from effects of drugs 143 



1. Behavior of the locomotor fibers 143 



2. Behavior of the giant fibers 143 



Summary 144 



Literature Cited - 144 



