Abstract
The afferent discharge from the lepidopteran MRO provides complex information to the c.N.s. on the parameters of movements occurring at the periphery. Not only ‘position’ but also ‘movement’ and ‘acceleration’ components are present in the response. While the position response is very nearly linearly related to the length of the receptor, the movement response is related to the square root of the rate of stretch. The acceleration response bears a more more complex relation to the stimulus. The responses of the sense organ to stretching are discussed in relation to the possibility of using methods of linear systems analysis. The observed non-linearities preclude such treatment of the present data. I am very grateful to my supervisor, Prof. G. M. Hughes, for guidance and encouragement during this work, and to the D.S.I.R. for financial support in the form of a research studentship. I am also indebted to Dr R. H. J. Brown for the basic design of the stretcher.