HEARING OF FISHES. 147 



aquatic vibrations, and a peculiar enamel-like 

 detached bone is placed in the middle of the 

 nervous expansion of their hearing organ, and 

 appointed to repeat those rattling noises which 

 prove equal warnings in the dark, as when it 

 is daylight. These auditory bones are readily 

 found in the middle cavity of a cod's or whiting's 

 skull : they are tooth-like in texture, with a 

 pearly whiteness, and so brittle as to break on 

 attempting to bend them. The construction of 

 these ossicles is perfectly adapted for their in- 

 tended uses, viz. that of responding to the vibra- 

 tions of similar substances. 



" It is a vulgar error to suppose that sounds 

 are necessarily dependant on air, since they 

 are known to be better conducted through the 

 medium of metallic bodies, or even water : and 

 the human ears may be rendered aquatic instru- 

 ments by plunging the head under water in a 

 warm bath, when any conversation, or the airs 

 from musical instruments, may be heard distinctly, 

 although the outward ears had been filled with 

 water, and the nostrils closed for the occasion. 

 " ANTHONY CARLISLE." 



In the preface to Julius Wolff's Treatise on the 

 use of auscultation and percussion, &c. &c., Sir 

 Anthony has also in the following language fur- 

 ther instructed us. " This beautiful adaptation of 



L2 



