IN THE GENUS SQUALUS. 
167 
only one body or particle, encircled with arborescent fila- 
ments, is in fact a conglomerate body. 
When a very small portion of the recent globules is exa- 
mined by a good microscope, each of these small twigs that 
branch from the uniting filaments which form the divisions, 
is seen to enter an extremely minute globule, and terminate 
on the inside of the transparent globular particle, in almost 
invisible fascicuh. As the animal grows older, the minute 
globules burst the confining membrane, and hence the rea- 
son why the globules appear so minute in the adult com- 
pared with the young animal. 
The Angorian process is sometimes found detached from 
the sabulous body, of which it forms a part. When too 
great a gap or space occurs between this process and the 
main body, may it not be a defect or injury ? No doubt, 
when the organ has been actively employed, the long con- 
tinuance of oscillatory vibration may cause partial absorp- 
tion of some of the globules, near the beginning of the 
process ; but I am inclined to suppose, that when there is 
a deficiency of globules, so as to separate the process from 
the body, the vacuity is, in these instances, owing more 
to disease, injury, or defect, than to the healthy action of 
the parts. 
The sabulous body is easily detached from the nervous 
filaments whence it originates ; and separates generally in a 
mass with sometimes a small quantity of nervous fasciculi 
adhering to the inferior part. It is, however, not so easily 
separated when the animal is recently killed, as when it has 
been dead four or five days ; and we may infer, that, when 
the fish is alive, it is still more firmly attached, so as to 
withstand any sudden shock to which the animal may be 
exposed. And, as it is seldom caught without making an 
obstinate resistance, so we may likewise conclude, that the 
sabulous body may receive great injury from that cause, 
