84 THE HOUSE I LIVE IN. 



were no ear, we should hear no sound. HE 

 who made the ear for sound, doubtless made 

 all parts of it. And there is good reason to 

 believe that every part of it is useful. 



The bone at a is called the malleus, because 

 it has been supposed to resemble a mallet or 

 hammer; but it looks as much like a crooked 

 club, with a branch sticking out from it, as like 

 either. It is close to the tympanum, and 

 touches it. 



The incus, or anvil (&,) is the next. I 

 think it looks as much like one of the smaller 

 double teeth as like an anvil. 



A little farther on is the little ring, (c.) It 

 is very small, and seems to connect the incus 

 to the stirrup. Anatomists, however, do not 

 call it a ring. They call it by the hard name 

 of os orbiculare. Os means bone, and orbicu- 

 lare means ring-shaped. 



The stapes, or stirrup, (d,) you cannot help 

 knowing by its shape. It is the farthest within 

 the head. 



This little chain of bones is stretched along 

 m the passage from the outside towards the in- 

 side of the head, beginning at the tympanum, 



