32 N. BDUGES8 ON THE WOOLS OF COMMERCE, 



tracts the fibre. Urine is considered the best for cleansing, and in 

 manufactui-ing districts the operatives often wash their woollens and 

 flannels in dilute urine, from its known action upon wool and woollens. 

 The specimens prepared for the microscope have been washed in 

 benzine, which abstracts the grease. 



In my first paper I mentioned the Punjaub wild sheep in the 

 Zoological Gardens, in reference to the two -fold growth of wool 

 and a kind of hair besides. This hair is an iuterestmg object under 

 the microscope ; the scales are very close together, and under some 

 kinds of illumination are not unlike the hairs of some of the deer 

 tribe. If " felting " depended on serration, these ought to possess 

 amazing felting qualities; but they do not " felt," for there are no 

 curves. This two-fold growth is found in wool from the Crimea. 

 The fine quality is wool in every respect ; the hair-like growth 

 intermixed with it is entirely hair as to structure, some very white, 

 and much like some of the deer. Both " Douskoi " and China 

 wools also exliibit a tendency to two-fold growth. 



On true hair-bearing animals, a two-fold growth exists, but very 

 diffei-ent to the cases cited, inasmuch as they are both of the same 

 character. Mrs. White, sister to the late Dr. Quekett, gave me 

 some hair from a Persian cat, one part of which was soft and long, 

 and another part much coarser ; but under the microscope the only 

 dilference was that the coarser kind was rather more opaque. 



The fine fur on the vicugna of South America is much like wool, 

 but the coarser kind is distinct in form and structure. It con- 

 sists of a thick, flattened fibre, and is somewhat fluted, like the shaft 

 of a column. The fur and hair of the Polar bear present two 

 different appearances. The fine growth is like wool, but the 

 markings are not so close together, and the size is uniform. The 

 coarser growth is similar to the human hair. 



I have only to add that I have not investigated the wool of the 

 black vai'iety of sheep, and, therefore, cannot say whether the 

 pigment is internal or external. 



I cannot close this paper without expressing my satisfaction at 

 having done my best to explode an effete theory as to the felting 

 properties of wool, and if my papers result in putting down one of 

 our popular errors, my time will not have been mis-spent. 



