HEARING. 



43 



Skull of the Hare; a, the auditory canal. ' 



u As a contrast to the situation of the auditory 

 tube in the hare, I shall now mention that of the 

 polecat, which animal is, as is well known, a pur- 

 suing- one ; consequently requiring its external senses, 

 or rather the communications for conveying impres- 

 sions to them, as forward as possible. This animal 

 has its external auditory tube similar in length and 

 diameter to the hare's placed at an angle of 45, 

 but pointing from behind, in a- direction downwards 

 and forwards ; in fact, the very opposite to the posi- 

 tion described in the hare. When we consider the 

 habits of this animal, and behold the structure con- 

 taining one sense, acting in concert with and sup- 

 porting another still more valuable to the animal's 



Skull of the Polecat; a, the auditory tube. 



