348 



Mr. J. N. Lockyer. 



[Jan. 27, 



It will "be seen that while for hydrocarbons = K, for animal and 

 vegetable oils it is not so. 



VI. " Note on the Occurrence of Ganglion Cells in the Anterior 

 Roots of the Cat's Spinal Nerves." By E. A. S chafer. 

 F.R.S. Received January 11, 1881. 



Ganglion cells are of constant occurrence among the nerve-fibres of 

 the anterior roots of the cat's spinal nerves. They are generally to be 

 found in that part of the anterior root which passes by the ganglion 

 which is seated npon the posterior root. They are not necessarily 

 situated next the ganglion ; but are often imbedded in the middle of 

 the anterior root, or found lying along its anterior margin, and there- 

 fore as far removed as possible from the ganglion upon the other 

 root. Moreover, they sometimes occur in the anterior root before 

 this has come in contact with the ganglion, just as isolated ganglion 

 cells are occasionally to be found in the posterior root, some little 

 distance on the spinal-cord side of its ganglion. The cells in question, 

 although not in any sense numerous, are to be found in most longi- 

 tudinal sections of the anterior roots, bat they seem to be especially 

 abundant in those of the lower dorsal and lumbar nerves. They 

 resemble on the whole very closely the ganglion cells in the spinal 

 ganglion upon the sensory roots, but it has not hitherto been possible 

 to make out their mode of connexion with the nerve-fibres. 



I have sought in vain for ganglion cells in a similar situation in 

 the nerve-roots of man, the dog, the rabbit, and the mouse. The 

 evidence, therefore, appears to be against the existence of any relation 

 between the occurrence of these cells in the anterior root and the 

 phenomenon of sensibility in that root, known as " recurrent sensa- 

 tion," for the latter has been observed in animals in which I have 

 been entirely unable to detect the existence of the cells in question 

 (e.g., the rabbit). 



VII. " On the Iron Lines widened in Solar Spots." By J. 

 Norman Lockyer, F.R.S. Received January 13, 1881. 



The observations put forward with reserve in my last communica- 

 tion to the Society have now been confirmed. 



In the fine spots visible on December 24tb, January 1st and 6th, 

 many lines in the spectrum of iron were seen contorted, while others 

 were steady. 



The facts are given in the following table : — 



