1877 BRITISH ASSOCIATION IN GLASGOW 65 



the direction of the current, the muscle is tremen- 

 dously excitable for the first stimulation, less so for 

 the second, and so on. Xow this rapidly exhausting 

 effect of passing the current successively ia the same 

 direction, and the wonderful effect of reversing it, 

 point, I beHeve, to something very fundamental in 

 the constitution of muscular tissue. The comple- 

 mentary effects in question are quite as decided in 

 the jeUy-fish as in frog's muscle ; so I think it would 

 be very interesting to try the experiment on the 

 contractile tissues of plants. But there are so many 

 things to write about that I am afraid of ' bothering 

 you,' and this with much more reason that you can 

 have to be afraid of ' bothering ' me. 



AureUa is, as you say, ' a fine case,' and I often 

 wish you cotdd see the experiments. 



Very sincerely and most respectfully yours, 



Geo. J. EoiiAXES. 



The leading Physiologists felt the importance of 

 co-operation and of aUiance, and a society entitled the 

 Physiological Society was formed of which Mr. 

 Romanes and Professor Gerald Yeo were the first 

 honorary secretaries. 



In 1876 Mr. Eomanes made his first appearance 

 at the British Association ; he recounts his experiences 

 in the following letter. 



To Miss G. E. Bomanes. 



British Association, Glasgow : Monday, 1876. 



My dearest Puffin, — ^I have received all your 

 letters, and had a good laugh over them ; it is evident 



F 



