THE ANNALS 



AND 



MAGAZINE OF NATURAL HISTOEY. 



[SIXTH SERIES,] 



" per litora spargite museum. 



Naiades, et circiim vitreos considite fontes : 

 PoUice ^-irgineo teneros hie carpite floras : 

 Floribus et piotum. divae, replete canistrum. 

 At Tos, o NjTuphae Craterides, ite sub undas ; 

 Ite, recurvato variata corallia trunco 

 Vellite muscosis e rupibus, et raihi conehas 

 Ferte, Deae pelagi, etpingui conchylia succo." 



y.PartheniiGiannetfasiiEcl. I, 



No. 67. JULY 1893. 



I. — Observations on the Origin of Hair and on Scales 

 in Mammals. By Max Weber *. 



No structure is more characteristic of Mammals than the 

 hairy covering. From a physiological standpoint also it is 

 in many respects a very significant organ, and on this head 

 naturalists are generally agreed. 



In striking contrast to this conviction is our ignorance as 

 to the origin of this important structure. If we are unwilling 

 to regard hair as an organ sui generis^ our knowledge as to its 

 phylogeny does not rise above the level of hypotheses. 



There are two hyjootheses which may be mentioned. 



Of these one which has been repeatedly expressed assumes 

 that hair, feathers, and scales are comparable structures, and 

 that the two former have developed from scales or scale-like 

 formations. The latter conclusion is to a certain extent an 

 evident one, in so far as scales are more primitive contrivances 

 on the part of the integument, and arc characteristic of the 

 Reptiles, which arc inferior to the Birds and Mammals in 

 position. 



* Translated from the * Anatomischer Anzeiger,' viii. Jahrg-., uos. 12 

 and 13, May 13, 1893, pp. 413-423. 



Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Ser. 6. Vol. xii. 1 



