ADAPTATIONS 



would give trouble. Thus the two eyelids 

 are kept in shape in a totally different way 

 from the two lips of the mouth, by a 

 peculiar ring which for long was mis- 

 takenly supposed to be cartilaginous, 

 whereas it does not have a cartilage cell 

 in it, but instead is made of two plates of 

 denser fibrous tissue than is found any- 

 where else in the body. Then it would 

 be unfortunate if the plate in the lower 

 eyelid were of the same size and shape as 

 that of the upper eyelid. For one thing 

 it would disfigure a lady more than the 

 worst squint. Nor would it do if there 

 were as many eyelashes near the inner 

 angle of the eye as at the other end; nor 

 if the eyelashes of the upper lid were not 

 more numerous and longer than those of 

 the lower lid, and more than all, if those 

 of the upper lid did not curve up and those 

 of the lower lid curve down. To make 

 these hairs grow that way and not like 

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