{Authors are responsible for nomenclature used.) 







The Scottish Naturalist 



No. 35.] 1914 [November 



EDITORIAL. 



Two papers recently published by R. I. Pocock indicate 

 certain new directions that may be usefully taken in the 

 study of mammals. The first 1 deals with the "facial 

 vibrissae," classifying the bristles (whiskers, etc.), according 

 to their position on the head, in a manner which strongly 

 reminds us of the comparatively recent study of " chaetotaxy " 

 or bristle-arrangement in insects, especially Diptera. This 

 paper shows us conclusively that in all the principal orders 

 of terrestrial mammals some of the species possess bristles 

 arranged upon a definite plan. It is also argued that the 

 species which possess a full complement of bristles are of a 

 more generalised type, while those with a defective supply 

 are of a higher derivative type. The second paper' 2 treats 

 of the feet and other external features of the Canidae or 

 Dog Family, and the Ursidae or Bear Family. Characters 

 of taxonomic or classificatory value are found in the relative 

 positions of the pads on the soles and heels of these animals, 

 on the shape of the rhinarium or nostril-pad, and of the 

 nostrils themselves. It seems to us that some attention 



1 Proc. Zool. Soc, 1914, Part III., pp. 889-912. 



2 Ibid., pp. 913-941- 



35 2H 



