RUDIMENTS. 15 



since many monkeys have, and frequently use the power, 

 of largely moving their scalps up and down.* 



The extrinsic muscles which serve to move the external 

 ear, and the intrinsic muscles which move the different 

 parts, are in a rudimentary condition in man, and they all 

 belong to the system of the pan nictilus ; they are also vari- 

 able in development, or at least in function. I have seen 

 one man who could draw the whole ear forward; other men 

 can draw it upward; another who could draw it backward;! 

 and from what one of these persons told me, it is probable 

 that most of us, by often touching our ears, and thus 

 directing our attention toward them, could recover some 

 power of movement by repeated trials. The power of erect- 

 ing and directing the shell of the ears to the various points 

 of the compass, is no doubt of the highest service to many 

 animals, as they thus perceive the direction of danger; but 

 I have never heard, on sufficient evidence, of a man who 

 possessed this power, the one which might be of use to him. 

 The whole external shell may be considered a rudiment, to- 

 gether with the various folds and prominences (helix and 

 anti-helix, tragus, and anti-tragus, etc.) which in the lower 

 animals strengthen and support the ear when erect, with- 

 out adding much to its weight. Some authors, however, 

 suppose that the cartilage of the shell serves to transmit 

 vibrations to the acoustic nerve; but Mr. Toynbee,J; after 

 collecting all the known evidence on this head, concludes 

 that the external shell is of no distinct use. The ears of 

 the chimpanzee and orang are curiously like those of man, 

 and the proper muscles are likewise but very slightly 

 developed. I am also assured by the keepers in the 

 Zoological Gardens that these animals never move or erect 



ir ears; so that they are in an equally rudimentary condi- 

 I .vith those of man, as far as function is concerned. 



* See my "Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals," 1872, 

 p. 144. 



f Canestrini quotes Hyrtl. ("Annuario della So<i. del Naturalisti," 

 Modena, 1867, p. 97) to the same effect. 



i "The Diseases of the Ear," by J. Toynbee, F. R. S., 1860, p. 12. 

 \ distinguished physiologist. Prof. Preyer, informs me that he liad 

 lately been experimenting on the function of the shell of the ear, and 

 has come to nearly the same conclusion as that given here. 



Prof. A. Macalister, "Annals and Mag. of Nat. History," vol. 

 vii, 1871, p. 342. 



