154 THE STRUCTURE OF MAN 



We have every reason for believing that the ancestor of Man 

 could move his pinna to a far greater extent than can his descend- 

 ant of to-day. The pinna, no doubt, formerly took a great 

 part in the play of the features, and served, as it now undoubtedly 

 does in the lower Mammals, as an excellent instrument for 

 appreciating the direction of sound. 



We are justified in this assumption, or rather affirmation, 

 by two facts: (1) the position in which the pinna is still often 

 found with relation to the head ; and (2) the presence of an exten- 

 sive musculature, the primitive history of which has already been 

 given, in describing the platysma myoides (cf. ante, p. 105). 



With regard to the first point, it is well known that in by 

 far the greater number of individuals the pinna of the ear lies 

 more or less closely applied to the temporal surface of the head. 

 When attention has to be concentrated in a special direction, a 

 person may be seen to correct this physiologically bad arrange- 

 ment by applying the hollow of the hand to the back of the 

 ear, and so forming an artificial funnel like an ear trumpet. 



This proceeding is less necessary in individuals whose 

 ears stand out, wing-like, from the head, i.e. are physiologically 

 more correctly disposed. From the modern aesthetic stand- 

 point this is a questionable advantage ; but it is a peculiarity 

 which has a great tendency to be handed on by inheritance. 

 In any case, this position is the original one, and the flattened 

 condition must be considered as secondarily acquired. 



It is difficult to decide what influences brought about the 

 loss of physiological efficiency of the pinna. It may have been 

 due to a gradual alteration of the resting attitude of Man ; and 

 it should be generally known that deformation of the pinna, 

 which often lasts for years, may be produced in children by the 

 same cause. 



wanting 1511 times, i.e. in 36 per cent. It was pi-esent in 2461 ears, i.e. in 64 per 

 cent ; of the median size in 2318, and specially large in 143, i.e. in 3 to 4 per cent. 

 Darwin's point was not to be found in 3106 cases, i.e. in 74 per cent ; it was present 

 in 1066 cases, i.e. in 26 per cent ; in 1027 it was of median size, and in only thirty- 

 nine (i.e. in 9 per cent) unusually large. 



