ANATOMICAL STRUCTURE OF ANTHROPOID APES. 91 



by the unlearned, who do not really understand the 

 characteristics in question. 



Darwin speaks of the anthropoid form of the ear 

 in the chimpanzee and orang.* " The ears of the 

 chimpanzee and orang are curiously like those of 

 man, and I am assured by the keepers in the Zoolo- 

 gical Gardens that these animals never move or 

 erect them, so that they are in an equally rudimen- 

 tary condition, as far as that function is concerned, 

 as man. Why these animals, as well as the pro- 

 genitors of man, should have lost the power of 

 erecting their ears, we cannot say. It may be, 

 though I am not quite satisfied with this view, that 

 owing to their arboreal habits and great strength 

 they were but little exposed to danger, and so 

 during a lengthened period moved their ears but 

 little, and thus gradually lost the power of moving 

 them. This would be a parallel case with that of 

 those large and heavy birds, which from inhabiting 

 oceanic islands have not been exposed to the attacks 

 of beasts of prey, and have consequently lost the 

 power of using their wings for flight. 



"The celebrated sculptor, Mr. Woolner, informs me 

 of one little peculiarity in the external ear which he 

 has often observed both in men and women, and of 

 which he perceived the full signification. His at- 

 tention was first called to the subject whilst at 

 work on his figure of Puck, to which he had given 

 pointed ears. He was thus led to examine the ears 

 of various monkeys, and subsequently more care- 

 fully those of man. The peculiarity consists in a 



* Darwin's Descent of Man, p. 21. 



