43 



the hair, has some slight lateral appendages in the form of very ob- 

 tuse pointed projections, so as to give that part a somewhat crenated 

 appearance at the edge. On viewing these edgewise, they are seen 

 to be confined to the thinnest edges of the flattened cylindrical shaft. 

 From the point where these slight projections terminate, to about 

 five -eighths of the length of the hair from the base towards the 

 other extremity, there are also attached to the shaft, in the same 

 plane with the projections just described, a number of flattened 

 blades, having their free ends pointed, something in the form of a 

 lancet. These incline at an acute angle with the shaft, the points 

 being towards the terminal extremity of the hair, and there are 

 about sixteen or seventeen of these blades on each edge of the 

 central shaft. There is an internal passage up the shaft, and I am 

 pretty certain that it extends also up the blades. Beyond these six- 

 teen or seventeen blades the shaft is continued for the remaining 

 three-eighths of the length, but instead of being smooth on the 

 broader surfaces as hitherto, it is covered by a considerable number 

 of slightly elevated, obtusely pointed projections, having their apices 

 turned towards the base of the hair. The most remarkable feature, 

 however, is, that within a short space of the termination of each 

 hair, there are on each side of the central shaft, six more blades, 

 each formed like those at the lower part as regards their sectional 

 shape, and lancet-like point, and they are also in the same plane 

 with them, but these latter six pairs of blades are curved and point 

 towards the base of the hair, that is in a reverse direction to the 

 others, and thus appear like so many barbs. Those nearest the 

 end of the hair are somewhat longer than the others, so that the 

 whole twelve together have an oval-formed outline. There is a 

 slight projection beyond the last pair of blades, as if the shaft were 

 continued a slight distance beyond them. 



All the dark red hairs on the dorsal part of the abdomen appear 

 to be of this remarkable construction, and it is the only part of 

 the animal on which I have found this last described form; the 

 other parts being all covered with those previously adverted to. 



Now the brown hairs seem, from their construction, to be beau- 

 tifully adapted for preventing the sudden alteration of temperature 

 affecting the parts protected by them, and also for opposing the 

 access of parasitic enemies from without, in consequence of the 

 compact manner in which they fit together, and the peculiar ar- 

 rangement of the small hairlets, and it is therefore probable they 



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