--- a/src/pt-misc.cc	Sun Sep 18 23:34:35 1994 +0000
+++ b/src/pt-misc.cc	Mon Sep 19 14:18:48 1994 +0000
@@ -205,15 +205,13 @@
 Octave_object
 tree_argument_list::convert_to_const_vector (void)
 {
-  int len = length () + 1;
+  int len = length ();
 
   Octave_object args;
   args.resize (len);
 
-// args[0] may eventually hold something useful, like the function
-// name.
   Pix p = first ();
-  for (int k = 1; k < len; k++)
+  for (int k = 0; k < len; k++)
     {
       tree_expression *elt = this->operator () (p);
       if (elt)
@@ -232,6 +230,7 @@
 	  break;
 	}
     }
+
   return args;
 }
 
@@ -271,16 +270,16 @@
 void
 tree_parameter_list::define_from_arg_vector (const Octave_object& args)
 {
-  if (args.length () <= 0)
+  int nargin = args.length ();
+
+  if (nargin <= 0)
     return;
 
-  int nargin = args.length ();
-
-  int expected_nargin = length () + 1;
+  int expected_nargin = length ();
 
   Pix p = first ();
 
-  for (int i = 1; i < expected_nargin; i++)
+  for (int i = 0; i < expected_nargin; i++)
     {
       tree_identifier *elt = this->operator () (p);