27 



feature, the most degenerate part of a degenerate organ. It would 

 seem that this fold is all that survives of a subdiscoidal or funnel- 

 shaped organ of considerable size and projection. 



As in the course of ages this extension contracted and be- 

 came folded back upon itself into the helix which we now know, 

 the once divergent lines of growth upon its back would be 

 crowded together as the lines of longitude upon a globe draw to- 

 gether after passing the equator. Or, taking the wrist to repre- 

 sent the concha and the extended thumb and fingers the lines of 

 growth of the hairs upon the ancestral ear, partial closure of the 

 hand bringing the five finger-tips into proximity will roughly 

 illustrate the supposed phenomena of distortion. 



That the distortion is greatest below Darwin's Point suggests 

 that the ear has sustained its greatest loss of surface on that side ; 

 and this interpretation is in some sort supported by the fact that 

 all, or most. Monkeys which have pointed ears show the point 

 higher than we show our rudiment. 



The great size of the ancestral ear may be inferred from the 

 still considerable dimensions of its atrophied successor ; and if 

 the above explanation of the countermarching hairs is correct, the 

 amount of their convergence argues a very considerable extent of 

 ear at one time protruding beyond the present limits of the helix. 



It has, I believe, been generally suspected that the line of 

 of human descent runs somewhat wide of any living anthropoid, 

 and in this view the phenomena of the ear agree. 



WEDNESDAY, JUNE 9th. 



Hnnual (5eneral Meeting. 



REPORT OF THE COUNCIL 



FOR THE YEAR ENDING JUNE 9th, 1897. 



During the past year the usual ordinary meetings of the 

 Society have been held, and have been well attended. The 

 Photographic Section have met six times, The Council regrets 

 to have to report that the Botanical and Microscopical Sections 

 have not received that support which it was hoped members would 

 give them. No officials of the Microscopical Section have there- 

 fore this year been nominated. 



