224 Analyses of Books, [Sept. 



from Poiity-pool, in Monmouthshire ; but it does not appear 

 that any one has ascertained, or even suspected, the real na- 

 ture of this singular product." 



III. Oh the Difference of Structure hetw£en the Human Mem- 

 hrana Tympani and that of' the Elephant, By Sir Everard 

 Home, Bait. VPRS.— (See Annah, v. 69.) 



The full sound of the French horn, we find, produced the 

 same effect upon the elephant at Exeter 'Change, with the low 

 liotes of the piano-forte, as described in our report of this 

 ^mmunication. 



We have already explained the difference of structure between 

 the human membrana tympani and that of the elephant, as here 

 described by Sir E. Home : his observations on that membrane 

 in other quadrupeds are as follows ; they are illustrated, toge- 

 ther with the immediate subjects of the paper, by engravings 

 from drawings by Mr. Clift. 



" The nearest approach I have met with among quadrupeds 

 to this peculiarity in the elephant, is in neat cattle : in them 

 the membrane is more oval proportionably than in the ele- 

 phant ; it is -^-9- of an inch long, -^»-g- broad. The handle of the 

 malleus lies in the direction of the transverse diameter of the 

 oval, and extends two-thirds of its length ; it is not, however, 

 situated in the middle line of the oval, but so much nearer to 

 the anterior side, that the fibres on that side are two-thirds 

 shorter than those on the opposite. 



" In the deer, the membrane is of an oval form, whose 

 transverse diameter is -J-^^- of an inch, the conjugate -rj^ : the 

 malleus has its handle nearer the middle line than in neat cat- 

 tle, the anterior fibres are ^ of an inch, the posterior -5^ of an 

 inch long. 



" In the horse, and hare, the handle of the malleus lies in 

 the middle line, so that the fibres on the two sides are equal. 

 In the hare the handle is more curved. 



" In the cat, the fibres are nearly the same as in the horse. I 

 mention this circumstance, since it leads to the conclusion, 

 that the whole of the feline kind have a similarly constructed 

 organ. 



" The effect of the high notes of the piano-forte upon the 

 great lion in Exeter 'Change, only called his attention, which 

 was very great. He remained silent and motionless ; but no 

 sooner were the flat notes sounded, than he sprung up, endea- 

 voured to break loose, lashed his tail, and appeared to be 

 enraged and furious, so much so as to alarm the female spec- 

 tators. This was accompanied with the deepest yells, which 

 ceased with the music." 



IV. Corrections applied to the Great Meridional ArCy extend^ 

 ingfrom latitude 8° 9' 38'', 39, to latitude 18° 3' 23'^ G4, to re- 

 duce it to the Parliament ary Standard, By Lieut. Col. W. 

 Lambton, FRS., &c. 



TUis short paper, it is probable, forms the last communica- 



