668 
Proceedings of the Royal Society 
vated races, but the difference in structure between one fibre and 
another is nevertheless frequently very marked. 
If we examine a number of fibres from a Lincoln sheep, there is 
in the finer fibres a close resemblance to those which are found in 
all the long-woolled breed, but along with these there are fibres 
which are distinctive of the Lincoln breed alone. In the latter 
there occur more or less rounded scales along with the usual serrated 
ones, as though there was a tendency to revert to the more distinct 
form of scales which we have seen on some of the coarser hairs, 
such as given in Plate XXIV. fig. 13, from a Cheviot sheep, or the 
alpaca fibre given in Plate XXIV. fig. 9. A fibre of Lincoln wool, 
drawn from the fleece of a Lincoln wether, which exhibits this 
peculiar formation is given in Plate XXIV. fig. 21. Many parts of 
this fibre bear a distinct resemblance to the Lincoln fibre already given 
in Plate XXIV. fig. 7, except that the scales are not so distinctly 
marked nor so freely imbricated at the margins, and at irregular 
intervals this imbrication entirely ceases, and we have smooth 
rounded edges taking their place. When looking at the second class 
of fibres found in the coarse Asiatic wools, we noticed a formation 
represented in Plate XXIV. fig. 19, where the scales lose their foliated 
characted and tend to form continuous rings. This peculiarity in 
the formation and attachment of the cuticular scales is also fre- 
quently found amongst the fibres of the more cultivated wools. 
It is indeed of very frequent occurrence in most of the long- 
woolled breeds, such as the Lincoln, and may be seen in Plate XXIV. 
fig. 22, which represents the appearance of a fine fibre, taken 
from a fine Lincoln wether fleece. Where this formation obtains, 
the scales are always more horny in their substance than those of 
the fibres possessing the normal structure which are associated 
with them. In many cases these fibres are associated in clusters 
in the lock of wool, as though a special area of the skin possessed 
the power of producing them, but they are also frequently found 
separately, and sometimes only parts, even of the same fibre, 
exhibit this peculiarity. They are also usually confined to certain 
parts of the animal, and occur specially at those parts where the 
wool tails off into short hair, as at the junction of wool and hair 
on the face and limbs. 
In Plate XXIV. fig. 23 we have a fibre which displays both the 
