This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1838 Excerpt: ...under this is another membrane, exactly of the same kind, the fibres of which, in some measure, decussate those of the former, and pass from the middle line of the body outwards and backwards: the inner edge of this is lost with the first membrane; the anterior, outer, and posterior edges are partly attached to the ...
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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1838 Excerpt: ...under this is another membrane, exactly of the same kind, the fibres of which, in some measure, decussate those of the former, and pass from the middle line of the body outwards and backwards: the inner edge of this is lost with the first membrane; the anterior, outer, and posterior edges are partly attached to the semicircular cartilages, and partly lost in the common cellular membrane. This inner fascia is continued into the electric organ by many processes, and thereby makes the membranous sides or sheaths of the columns, which are presently to be described. (159.) Each organ is about five inches in length, and at the posterior end three in breadth, though it is but little more than half as broad at the posterior extremity; each consists wholly of perpendicular columns, reaching from the upper to the under surface of the body, and varying in their lengths according to the thickness of the body. The shape of these columns, also, is very variable; the greater number are either irregular hexagons, or irregular pentagons: their coats are very thin, and closely connected with each other, having a kind of loose network of tendinous fibres between the columns, which they unite more firmly; and this purpose is further effected by strong unelastic fibres: the number of these columns, in different torpedos of moderate size, appears to be about 470 in each organ, but in a very large individual they were 1182; they must, therefore, increase, both in size and number, with the growth of the animal. Each column is divided by horizontal partitions, which appear to contain a fluid: they are not totally detached from each other, for they sometimes N % adhere at different places, by blood-vessels passing from one to another: the number of these partitions in a column one i...
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