Chap. I.] RUDIMENTS. 21 



(helix and anti-helix, tragus and anti-tragus, etc.) which 

 in the lower animals strengthen and support the ear when 

 erect, without adding much to its weight. Some authors, 

 however, suj^j^ose that the cartilage of the shell serves to 

 transmit vibrations to the acoustic nerve ; but Mr. Toyn- 

 bee,''* 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 I am assured by the keepers in the Zoo- 

 logical Gardens that these animals never move or erect 

 them ; so that they are in an equally rudimentary condi- 

 tion, as far as function is concerned, as in man. Why 

 these animals, as well as the progenitors of man, should 

 have lost the power of erecting their ears we cannot say. 

 It may be, though I am not quite satisfied with this view, 

 that owing to their arboreal habits and great strength they 

 were but little exposed to danger, and so during a length- 

 ened period moved their ears but little, and thus gradually 

 lost the power of moving them. This would be a parallel 

 case with that of those large and heavy birds, which from 

 inhabiting oceanic islands have not been exposed to the 

 attacks of beasts of prey, and have consequently lost the 

 power of using their wings for flight. 



The celebrated sculptor, Mr. Woolnei*, informs me of 

 one little peculiarity in the external ear, which he has 

 often observed both in men and women, and of which he 

 perceived the full signification. His attention was first 

 called to the subject while at work on his figure of Puck, 

 to which he had given pointed ears. He was thus led to 

 examine the ears of various monkeys, and subsequently 

 more carefully those of man. The peculiarity consists in 

 a little blunt point, projecting from the inwardly-folded 

 margin, or helix. Mr. Woolner made an exact model of 

 one such case, and has sent me the accompanying draw- 



^* ' The Diseases of the Ear,' by J. Toynbee, F. R. S., 1860, p. 12. 



