The fluctuations of the muon component, at small distances from the axis, due to the development of EAS were found to be 0.34 ± 0.05. This value agrees well with the theoretical predictions of de Beer et al. (1967) when the effect of the negative correlation between Ne (shower size) and [Formula: see text] (average muonic radius) is taken into account. Different sizes of showers in seven groups were investigated (in the range from 2 × 105 to 1.2 × 106).