NATURAL THEOLOGY. 67 



THE EAR. 



A. Although the construction of the ear, anato- 

 mists observe, is not so well understood as that of the 

 eye, it exhibits in its general form, both internal and 

 external, a mechanism which is admirably contrived 

 for the reception of sound. It is fitted with a fleshy 

 rim on the outside, which is called the concha, or 

 trumpet, because it spreads like the mouth of a 

 trumpet, around the hole of the ear where the sound 

 enters the head ; and the use of the trumpet is, to 

 collect the sound into this passage. Ear trumpets 

 are constructed upon this principle., for the benefit of 

 persons who are hard of hearing ; only the spreading 

 part is much larger than it is in the ear. The artifi- 

 aWinvention^showj^ the wisdom of the natural mstru- 

 ment, and how evidently it was designed with reference 

 to the uses it answers in the animal structure. The ris- 

 ings and furrrows which give the rim of the ear such an 

 irregular appearance are said to perfect the trumpet, 

 by directing the sound more completely into the hole. 

 In those persons who have not flattened their ears 

 down upon their heads by tight bandages, but suffer- 

 ed the rim to take its natural position, it slightly in- 

 clines forward, like holding our hand back of the ear, 

 when we wish to hear more distinctly. This has 

 been mentioned as remarkably the case in savages, 

 whose hearing is uncommonly delicate. Many ani- 

 mals, especially the little, timid, and helpless rabbit, 

 have the trumpet much larger and more perfect than 



