44 M. C. COOKE ON THE HAIRS OF INDIAN BATS. 



I think that I had better make a clean conscience and confess 

 that I have not found a hair amongst any of the specimens that I 

 have examined which is identical with that mounted by Mr. Top- 

 ping as the hair of the Indian bat. Thus far, therefore, my 

 labours have ended in a failure, but I cannot believe that my labour 

 is wholly lost. What has been done contributes to lessen the work 

 of any one who may think fit to follow me, and I hope that we 

 may yet secure specimens of the long-tailed bat, and a more com- 

 plete examination of hair from all parts of the body of both sexes 

 of Elwiopoma Hardwickii may furnish more clue to the unknown 

 hair. But on the supposition that even this fails I would fain 

 believe that the examination of the hair of so large a number of 

 well authenticated species will not be an unwelcome addition to our 

 Microscopical Literature. 



Amono-st the hairs that have been examined I tliink that there 

 are several which are well worthy of a place in any cabinet, and 

 should we secure an active Indian correspondent, desirous of ex- 

 changing specimens with us, bat hair will certainly not be for- 

 gotten. 



The examination just completed has impressed upon me the 

 conviction that the two forms of hair seen in so many of the speci- 

 mens represent the hair, properly so called, which overlies the 

 other, and is alone exposed on the surface ; this is coarser, 

 smoother, and more deeply coloured. The under hair, or fur, is 

 much smaller, more irregular, and with more expanding scales. 

 What is designated " Hair of Indian bat," is a fur of this kind. 

 One cannot help noticing the similarity in structure of this " fur " 

 to the " down " of feathers, which appears to answer a similar pur- 

 pose. Another circumstance is noticeable in some hairs, such as 

 those of Rldnopoma, that the scales are further apart and more dis- 

 tinct, resembling a species of fur at their base, and more hair-like 

 towards the extremity. This seems to point to a different func- 

 tion in the upper and lower portion of the hair — the one asso- 

 ciated with the preservation of the heat of the body, and the other 

 protection from external vicissitudes, 



I am not sure that the character of the fur of animals does not 

 undergo some modifications at different seasons of the year. We 

 know that many animals exhibit externally a great difference in 

 colour in winter and sunmier, and it is not improbable that the fur, 

 or undergrowth, also undergoes modifications. I am not, how- 



