644 



NATURE 



[October 30, 1890 



passage. Its shape presents but few individual varia- 

 tions. 



" (4) Opposite, separated by the auditory passage, is the 

 antitragus, less prominent than the tragus, but of far 

 greater descriptive value. 



" (5) Finally, above it the fold of the anthelix, which, after 

 rising about i centimetre, bifurcates in two branches, the 

 upper and the horizontal, the latter rejoining the helix 

 above its original starting-point. 



" The above order of enumeration enables us to draw the 

 different contours of the ear without raising our pencil, 

 starting from point A, and finishing at point M ; this 

 course of the pencil is shown on Fig. i by the alphabetical 

 order of the capital letters, which separate each of the 

 subdivisions, of which we are about to describe the most 

 characteristic morphologic variations. 



"The border may be divided into four parts — the 

 starting-point, A B ; the anti-superior part, B c ; the pos- 

 terior, c D ; and the final, D E. Each of these parts may 

 vary independently— that is to say, may be small, 

 medium, or large. It also happens pretty frequently that 

 the beginning and ending portions (a B or D e) are alto- 

 gether missing ; at other times the portion c D is more 

 fully developed than the superior or upper part, or less 

 so. The irregularities of contour that result therefrom 

 are very characteristic. Lastly, the final part, D E, may 



be very much developed and continue round the lobe to 

 the cheek. 



" The lobe should be considered — 



" {a) The outline of its free edge, E F, which may ter- 

 minate in a descending point, and attached to the cheek, 

 or squared, or in rounded ellipsoid. 



{b) " Its degree of adherence to the cheek, F H, which we 

 called ' fused,' or it may be joined by a membranous fold, 

 which only laecomes visible when the ear is stretched 

 from the cheek. Finally, it may be entirely separated 

 from the cheek. 



" {c) Of the shape of the anti-exterior surface, G, which 

 may be traversed by the prolongation of the helix, level 

 or mammilated. 



" {d) Of its dimensions in height, which may be small, 

 medium, or large. 



" The antitragus presents a general line of direction, the 

 inclination of which may vary from horizontal (the head 

 being in its normal position) to obliquity of 45°. In 

 relation to this line, represented in the drawing by 

 the dotted line H l, the antitragus can profile in line with 



NO. 1096, VOL. 42] 



an upper concavity, or rectilinearly, or slightly sinuous, 

 or projecting. Finally, the antitragus (especially its free 

 extremity) may be inverted outwards or straight. Putting 

 aside all questions of shape, the antitragus may vary also 

 with reference to its indefinite dimensions. 



"The parts IK and K Lof thefold of theaw/'A^/z.r mayeach 

 separately be small, medium, or large. When the anthelix, 

 and specially the upper branch, K L, is little accentuated, the 

 ear stands out from the head, and takes a shape which 

 resembles the ear of the mammifer. The horizontal por- 

 tion, K M, of the anthelix has a bearing sometimes truly 

 horizontal, sometimes oblique, sometimes intermediate. 



2. — Ear showing alj the charac- 

 teristics at a minimum. 



Fig. 3. — Ear showing all the charac- 

 teristics at a maximum. 



Figs. 4 and 5. — Eari showing the corresponding peculiarities alternately at 

 a minimum and at a maximum. 



" The whole ear, including the lobe, may equally deflect 

 from the head ; hence the shape called '' peduncular " by 

 some authors. In other cases the deflection is most 

 noticeable in the posterior part, or upper, or even in the 

 lower part of the ear. We must also notice the presence 

 of a prominence in a certain number of ears, between the 

 points C and D. This protuberance is called ' the tubercle 

 of Darwin,' after the celebrated English naturalist, who 

 saw in it a survival of the pointed ear of certain monkeys 

 (Fig. 5)." 



It is to be hoped that M. Bertillon's work will be seen 

 in English, for I have given but a fragment of the choice, 

 fresh matter in the little volume. 



Edmund R. Spearman. 



