42 FACULTIES OF BIRDS. 



when it " is placed horizontally before you, the 

 tubulated bony portion of the external ear is seen 

 nearly half an inch in length, and a quarter of an 

 inch in diameter, pointing backwards and upwards 

 at an angle of 45 or thereabouts. To this tube in 

 the living animal is attached the external ear, which 

 is moved in various directions to suit the purposes of 

 the animal. This animal is a pursued one ; and, as 

 such, is indebted for its safety to a quick perception 

 of danger by means of its external senses. The 

 least remarkable of these is certainly not that of 

 hearing: viewed externally, we find long open ears, 

 for the most part inclining backwards ; but also occa- 

 sionally forward, as well as laterally. These are 

 moved in various attitudes by muscles placed for 

 that purpose; and thus serve as excellent media for 

 collecting sounds, and transmitting them through 

 the bony portion of the canal to the internal ear. 

 That these organs are valuable adjuvants to another 

 sense (that of sight) no one will doubt, especially 

 when he recollects that animals of this class, although 

 possessing a very wide expanse of sight, yet do not 

 enjoy an equally distant one, which is not to be 

 wondered at when we look at the diminutive stature 

 they exhibit ; yet for this loss they are compen- 

 sated by having the sense of hearing very acute 

 from a number of points, though much more from 

 behind than in any other direction. Many persons 

 contend that the hare cannot distinguish sounds im- 

 mediately before her, which is not unlikely when we 

 consider the bony structure of the external ear ; 

 however, this is not absolutely necessary, as her pro- 

 minent eyes scarcely allow any object to approach 

 her without some part of its shadow being depicted 

 upon the retina, and thus communicating the alarm 

 to the timid animal. 



