  In this paper, the correlation between the formation of the unstable $^{8}$Be
nucleus and accompanying $\alpha$ particles in the fragmentation of
relativistic $^{16}$O, $^{22}$Ne, $^{28}$Si, and $^{197}$Au nuclei in a nuclear
track emulsion is investigated. The $^{8}$Be decays are identified in a wide
energy range by invariant masses calculated from 2$\alpha$-pair opening angles.
The adopted approximations are verified by data on fragmentation of $^{16}$O
nuclei in a hydrogen bubble chamber in a magnetic field. An increase in the
$^{8}$Be contribution to the dissociation with the growth of $\alpha$-particle
multiplicity is found.
