THE EXTERNAL EAR. 451 



temporal bone, and to the aponeurosis on the squamous por- 

 tion of the same bone, 



In addition to the common muscles of the ear, described at 

 p. 301, vol. i, there are a few muscular fibres, which, in some 

 subjects, may be discerned on particular parts of the cartilage, 

 and therefore are considered as muscles proper to these portions 

 of the ear. 



There are five of these portions of fibres ; two on the helix, 

 one on the tragus, one near the antitragus, and the fifth on the 

 other side of the ear. 



The Major Helicis is on the anterior and most prominent 

 part of the helix above the tragus. The Minor Helicis is lower 

 down on the helix in the concha. 



The Tragicus lies on the tragus, and the Antitragicus 

 behind the antitragus, while the Transoersus Auris is on the 

 other side of the ear, on the prominence formed by the concha 

 near its circumference. 



It may be observed respecting the muscles of the ear, that 

 even the common muscles, which are by far the largest, are 

 unable, in many persons, to move that organ ; and the proper 

 muscles, in a large majority of mankind, cannot be perceived to 

 produce any effect at all. 



There are difficulties in explaining the form of the cartilage ; 

 for, notwithstanding the well-known opinion of the geometri- 

 cian said to have been employed by Boerhaave, that the line 

 of reverberation is directed to the meatus auditorius externus 

 from every part of the ear, in many persons the cartilage is so 

 situated that the concha appears to be the principal, if not the 

 only part, from which sound can be reverberated into the 

 meatus. 



It may be questioned whether the backward position of the 

 ear, which is commonly observed at the present day, is alto- v 

 gether natural ; as a more prominent position seems much 

 better calculated for the reverberation of sound ; but this posi- 

 tion of the cartilage is observable in many infants at birth. 



It is asserted by some comparative anatomists, that the car- 

 tilage is stronger and more elastic in proportion to its size, in 



