On the Origin of Feathera. 217 



perl-organs of fishes, could be paralleled by the assumption that 

 the peculiar sensory pits in the scales of crocodiles and snakes 

 are the forerunners of feathers, especially since the latter are 

 now known to be not the whole scale but a small highly modified 

 part only. 



Küster has introduced the idea of the „Tastfeder". The 

 occurrence of sensory elements near the base of a feather does 

 not necessarily tum this into an organ of touch, although it is 

 quite conceivable that the brisles of a Night jar or of a Flycatcher 

 do not merely add to the gape for catcliing purposes. Probably 

 they are also used as organs of touch, just Hke the whishers of a 

 Cat, but this is no reason for assuming that such feathers or hairs 

 owe their origin to this function. These sensory elements are 

 there primarily for the benefit of the respection epidermal organs 

 and not vice versa; and incidentally it may have proved ad- 

 vantageous for the nerves to become more intimately correlated 

 with them. Tortoises have organs of touch beneath their large 

 horny shields; are the later therefore „Tastschilder"? 



The hj^othesis of the origin of hairs, mentioned above, seems 

 to be still alive, and I regret having disappointed its adherents 

 by faihng to observe nerve-endings in the mysterious filaments of 

 Trichobatrachus. Superior method applied by Professor Küken- 

 thal has revealed their presence. 



7. Heft 



