MIDDLE EAK. 



527 



FIG. 199. 



The malleus, a, Head ; 

 b, Xeck ; c, Handle ; 



groove round the inner end of the external meatus, and is 

 posed of three layers ; an external, or epidermic, a prolongation 

 of the skin lining the meatus ; a middle, or fibrous, the fibres 

 being in two sets, one radiating from the centre to the circum- 

 ference, the other scattered and indistinct, except near the 

 periphery, where they form a dense ring ; and 

 an internal, or mucous, derived from the 

 mucous lining of the middle ear. 



A chain of small bones, the auditory ossicles 

 (ossicula auditus) stretch across the tympanum. 

 They are the malleus, incus, stapes, and len- 

 ticular bone, or os orbiculare. 



The MALLEUS, or HAMMER, presents a d> Processu3 z^- 

 rounded head (capitulum), a neck, a handle (manubrium), a 

 long and a short process (processus gracilis and brevis}. The 

 head articulates with the incus ; the handle is received between 

 the inner and middle coats of the membrana tympani ; the long 

 process, in man, extends to the Glaserian fissure ; and the short 

 process, very obtuse, lies in contact with the drum. 



The INCUS, or ANVIL, which in shape somewhat resembles the 

 bicuspid tooth of man, has a body and two 

 crura or processes. The body is concave on 

 its surface, and articulates with the head of 

 the malleus ; the short crus is connected with 

 the posterior wall of the tympanum ; and the 

 long crus bears the os orbiculare, a round 

 bone, about the size of a grain of sand, at its 

 extreme point. 



The STAPES ; or STIRRUP, possesses a base, two crura, and a 

 head. The base is oval, and placed upon 

 the fenestra ovalis ; the crura converge from 

 each extremity of the base to a constricted 

 portion termed the neck, on which is placed 

 the head, which articulates with the os orbi- 

 culare. 



The inner wall of the tympanum is very uneven, and presents 

 several eminences and openings. The oval opening, near its 

 upper part, is the fenestra ovalis, which leads into the cavity 

 of the vestibule. Above this fenestra, between it and the 

 roof, is a ridge formed by the aqueduct of Fallopius, and 

 beneath is the round opening of the fenestra rotunda. The 



FIG. 200. 



Incus. a, Body ; b, 

 Articular surface for mal- 

 leus ; c, Short crus ; d, 

 Long crus ; e, Os orbicu- 

 lare. 



FIG. 201. 



Stapes, a, Head ; b b, 

 Crura ; c, Base. 



