SUPEABEXAL BODIES IX EISHES. 45 



Elops sahnoneus. 

 Gadus barbatus. 

 Cobitis fossilis. 

 Acanthopsis tarda. 

 Esox lucius. 

 Esococtus esciliens. 

 Belone vulgaris. 

 Motella mustela. 



Lota vulgaris. 

 Phycis blennoides. 

 Platessa passer. 

 Rhombus nuchus. 

 Echeneis rernora. 

 Ammodytes tobianus. 

 Symbranchus marmoratus. 

 Diodon novemmaculatum. 



No doubt a large proportion of Hyrtl's specimens were not fresh but preserved, and 

 this would often prevent the discovery of the suprarenal bodies. 



In the same year Leydig (13) described the suprarenals of Chimcera monstrosa thus: 

 " Each suprarenal forms a narrow streak f" long, of an ochre-yellow colour. The 

 posterior end is somewhat thicker and more rounded. They lie on the inner border of the 

 kidney." This, of course, is the " interrenal." In Elasmobranchs we find no mention 

 yet of the paired segmental bodies on the branches of the aorta, but only a body " in 

 Form eines schmales ockergelben Streifens an der Ruckseite der Nieren " (Stannius). 



After this period we come to researches of much more importance, in reference at 

 any rate to the subject in Elasmobranchs, and it will be necessary to review it in some 

 detail. 



In 1852 Leydig published his famous ' Rochen und Haie' (11). In this work he 

 insists that the " so-called axillary hearts and their continuations on the sympathetic 

 ganglia are to be considered as the real suprarenals of Cartilaginous Fishes, and not, as 

 heretofore reckoned, the yellow stripes and bodies behind the kidneys." He bases 

 this view on the fact that the paired bodies resemble the suprarenals in Mammalia in 

 " consisting of closed bladders filled with cells," also in their abundant vascular and 

 nervous supply. On the other hand, he says " the yellow stripes " consist simply of 

 " masses of fat-globules and bright nuclei." He emphasizes the close connection 

 between the suprarenals and the sympathetic nervous system. " As the pituitary 

 body is an integral part of the brain, so the suprarenals are part of the sympathetic." 

 In the same work Leydig expresses his opinion that the organs previously considered 

 as suprarenals are " fat-glands " analogous to those known in the Amphibia. Referring 

 to the Cyclostomes this author definitely states his belief that the " clustered gland " 

 of Miiller and the " white plugs " of Rathke and Miiller are analogous to the 

 suprarenals. 



About this time too (1852) appeared Frey's article on the Suprarenals in Todd's 

 'Cyclopaedia' (7). It was obviously written before the above researches of Leydig, so 

 that the only suprarenals mentioned in Elasmobranchs are the bodies now termed 

 " interrenal." This writer gives a very good account of the anatomy and histology, 

 mostly after Ecker, and in the part relating to fishes, at any rate, there seems little that 

 may be considered original. 



In the next year (1853) Leydig published his ' Fische und Reptilien ' (12). In this 



