$.ajax({
                        url: config.apiUrl("/external/xing/contacts"),
                        contentType: "application/json",
                        success: function () {
                            console.log(arguments);
                        },
                        dataType: 'json'
                    });

In Chrome and Chrome Canary this results in [].

In Firefox it results [Array[10], "success", Object].

$.ajax({
                        url: config.apiUrl("/external/xing/contacts"),
                        contentType: "application/json",
                        success: function (a,b,c) {
                            console.log(arguments);
                        },
                        dataType: 'json'
                    });

Results in FF & Chrome in [Array[10], "success", Object]

Now I tested it with jquery 1.9.1 and 1.8.2 and in Chrome, Chrome Canary and Firefox. I thought it might be a chrome Problem and independent of jQuery, but this works in the Chrome console:

(function(){console.log(arguments);})(1,2,3)

Results in [1, 2, 3]. It also works when using call or apply.

So it seems to be a problem specific to jQuery and chrome.