NATURAL HISTORY MISCELLANY. 175 
to separate them from the surrounding connective tissue, but the 
inner or hyaline coat is highly developed, and, after being con- 
structed beneath the hair bulb, wider’s out and encloses the sense- 
bodies (Tastkorperehen), one of which organs is connected with 
each hair. 
The nerves of the wing may be considered to consist of five 
layers, i. e., there is one occupying the centre of a transverse sec- 
tion of the wing, which gives off on each side of it four others, 
and these are successively finer and finer as they approach the op- 
‘posite surfaces. The inner layer and the one immediately on 
each side of it, consist of nerve fibres with dark borders, the other 
layers of pale fibres only. The tastkorperchen are connected 
with the second layer. The fifth layer of finest fibres ends as 
a network between the innermost layer of cells of the Malpighian 
layer of the epidermis. The tastkérperchen are shaped like a 
fir-cone with a rounded apex turned inwards. They lie imme- 
iately below the root of the hair; and their core or central sub- 
stance is formed of a prolongation of the cells forming the two 
root sheaths of the hair. Their length is 0.0259 and their breadth 
0.0175™". A nerve containing about six dark-edged fibres is 
distributed to each kérperchen. Just before the nerve reaches 
this organ it splits into two, and three fibres pass to one side of 
it, three to the other. The fibres are then wound round the body 
o as to sheathe its cellular core. Dr. Schöbl thinks it proba- 
ble that the fibres on one side are continuous with those on the 
opposite side, and that there is thus a bipolar arrangement here. 
He attributes to the fine network of pale nerve fibres belonging 
to the fifth layer the appreciation of temperature, pain, etc. ;, to 
the tastkérperchen the highly exalted sense of touch. It is 
curious that both kinds of nerve endings are connected with the 
Malpighian layer of the skin. In conclusion, the author states 
t he believes he has found similar bodies in peculiarly sensitive 
places in other mammals, and promises an early account of them. 
=e Academy. 
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN YOUNG AND Aputt Fisnes.—Mr. R. Bliss, 
at a meeting of Bost. Nat. Hist. Soc., spoke of some of the mark- 
ings which distinguish young from adult fishes. He had recently 
examined some specimens from India which had a double line on 
the median space; or rather a single line starting from the gill- 
