340 ox HAIR-WHORLS IX THE OKAPI. [DeC. 1, 



It will be observed that there is considerable dijETerence between 

 the ai-rangement of the hair-whorls, hair-spirals, hair-radiant- 

 centres, and hair-streams in the two specimens. We do not yet 

 know enough of these curious dispositions of the hair -growth to 

 say what value should be attached to one or other difference as 

 indicating distinctness of race or species — or whether, indeed, any 

 such value can be attached to these sti-iictui-es. 



The publication of this pair of diagrams taken fi-om so interesting 

 a creature as the Okapi will, it is hoped, lead to a more extensive 

 and complete study of the subject, not only in the various skins 

 of Okapi which may be hereafter or have been already received, 

 but in large series of other species — such as the Antelopes. 



The difierences between the two specimens of Okapi in regard 

 to the hair- whorls are best to be appreciated by an examination of 

 the diagrams (text-figs. 41, 42, pp. 338, 339) and the explanation 

 given below the figures. But it may be briefly pointed out that the 

 British Museum specimen (which it will probably be necessary, as I 

 have elsewhere pointed out, to distinguish as Okapia erichsoni) has 

 a single median supra- nasal or interorbital vortex or meeting-point 

 of three hair-streams (text-fig. 41, d) which is not present in 

 Mr. Rothschild's specimen. Also it has an asymmetrical single 

 spiral whorl of hairs on the left frontal region (text-fig. 41, x). 

 This also is not present in Mr. Rothschild's specimen. 



On the other hand, in Mr. Rothschild's Okapi there is a median 

 spiral vortex or meeting-point of hair-streams between the sites 

 corresponding to the position of the horns in the male (text-fig. 42, a). 

 Also there are, at no great distance from this median spiral, a 

 right and a left " radiant centre " (text-fig. 42, c, c) from which 

 hairs radiate evenly in every direction. Nothing corresponding 

 to these is seen in the British Museum Okapia erichsoni. 



The spiral vortex a of the Tring specimen may perhaps be con- 

 sidered as represented in some fashion by the one-sidedly placed 

 spiral vortex x of Okapia erichsoni, as though a had moved 

 forward and to the animal's left. 



In connexion with this apparent asymmetry, I may draw 

 attention to the fact that Dr. Forsyth Major has found that the 

 horns of the male specimens of Okapi submitted to him by the 

 Congo State Museum are invariably asymmetrical. 



Prof. Lankester also exhibited and made remarks upon some 

 specimens of Medusse reported to have come from the Victoria 

 Nyanza, and sent home by Sir Charles Eliot, K.C.M.G., H.B.M. 

 Consul-General and Commissioner in the British East- African 

 Protectorate. 



The following papers were read 



