BY J. T. WILSOX AND C. J. MARTIN. 677 



surface in the intervals between the folHcle and the neighbouring 

 epidermis. These fibres lose their medullated sheaths and termi- 

 nate in branchings of naked axis-cylinders, which together with 

 similar branchings from other sides of the follicle form a ring-like 

 plexus around the neck of the follicle, most of the individual 

 fibres of which have a vertical direction. 



"We were unable to satisfy ourselves that the terminations of 

 these fibres entered the epidermis of the follicle. The appearance 

 closely resembles that described by Burckhardt* and Bonnetf as 

 occurring around the neck of the hair follicles of sensitive hairs 

 in some mammals, and by the latter author also in the base of the 

 epidermal downgrowths in the snout of the pig. 



The further structural details we have been able to ascertain, 

 together with the whole arrangement and termination of the 

 nerves to the follicle, support in the strongest manner Poulton's 

 suggestion, that the epidermal downgrowth through which the 

 duct of the gland passes, represents a modified hair. Moreover 

 we are of opinion that it not only structurally represents some 

 form of modified hair, but that it is so far functionally a sensitive 

 hair. The core of the follicle (fig. 2, a) does not end flush with 

 the surface of the skin, but projects appreciably beyond. In the 

 specimen from which fig. 2 was drawn is a fair example of this. 

 From the relation of the cells of the core to the surrounding 

 epithelium, one would imagine that as the epithelial cells of the 

 follicle proliferate, the core must be pushed upwards so as to 

 project from the surface, just as occurs with a perfectly formed hair. 

 In this case, however, the projecting end of the core must con- 

 stantly he worn away, or more probably disintegrated, leaving the 

 appearance shown in fig. 2. Why the excretory duct of the gland 

 should possess such a peculiar relation to it, we are at a loss to 

 understand. The fact that, as far as we can judge, about one 

 half of the fibres of the enormous fifth nerve in this I'egion are 

 associated with these supposed hairs, speaks strongly for their 



* Biirckhardt, " Ueber die Nervendigung in den Tasthaaren der Siiuge- 

 tliiere." 



t Bonnet, loc. cit. 



