and on Scales in Mammals. 7 



we may well assume that the portions of the skin which are 

 now scaleless formerly likewise bore scales. The scales were 

 lost, but the arrangement of the hairs still exhibits their 

 former presence. At any rate, I do not know of any other 

 cause to mention such as would be capable of explaining the 

 regular alternating arrangement. 



Through this important result of de Meijere's investigation 

 my hypothesis acquires considerable support, just as con- 

 versely it explains and makes intelligible the observations of 

 de Meijere. 



Eomer, Avho, in his thankworthy paper, by the inves- 

 tigation of the armature of the armadillos comes to the con- 

 clusion that this is likewise composed of scales, conforms 

 entirely to my view with regard to their morphological value. 

 In two points, however, he differs from me. In the first 

 place he considers scales to be a secondary acquisition on the 

 part of Mammals. 



It would appear to me that the entire series of de Meijere's 

 results is a continuous argument against this view. The 

 arrangement of the hairs points to the former general exist- 

 ence of a coat of scales. The facts bearing upon this were, 

 however, still unknown when Rijmer concluded his investi- 

 gations. But even the facts of the case, as my investigation 

 left them, must plead against the view that the scales have 

 been secondarily acquired ; for if so we should have to explain 

 the repeated occurrence of scales as being due to conver- 

 gence. I am certainly imbued with the importance of the 

 phenomena of convergence in Mammals. I have even so 

 long ago as 1886, in my paper on the origin of the Cetacea, 

 pointed out probably more than my predecessors the import- 

 ance of this process. But there is a limit in all things. 



Komer* writes (p. 540) : — '^Manis and Dasypus are to be 

 derived from true hair-bearing animals, and their present 

 scale-like body-covering is to be regarded as a new acquisi- 

 tion of a secondary nature, which has arisen in consequence 

 of adaptation to the similar burrowing mode of life. ..." I 

 will pass over the fact that the mode of life of the species of 

 Manis is in part very dissimilar from that of the Dasypodidise. 

 Munis tricusjjisj Ivaf., and Ji. longicaudata, Briss., are exclu- 

 sively arboreal, and M.Javanica, Ucsm., partially so. Further- 

 more, 31. crassicaudata, St.-llil., and M. aurita, Hodgs., are 

 also climbers ; but both are actually capable of digging holes 

 to dwell in. Manis gigantea, 111., and 31. Temminckii, 

 Smuts, are the only species which are exclusively terrestrial. 



• F. Komer, Jenaische Zeitscbrift f. Naturw. Bd. xxvii. 



