24 Sir Everard Home on the difference of structure between 
of Sir Stamford Raffles, whose exertions in collecting speci- 
mens of natural history, as they are beyond all example, so 
they are above my praise ; they are known to this Society, 
and there is no doubt, that many new opportunities will occur 
of their being recorded in the Philosophical Transactions. 
The elephant was only three weeks old, and one ear has 
the membrana tympani in a perfect state, and in its natural 
situation. It is of an oval form, one inch and half long, one 
inch -l broad ; the muscular fibres lie upon the inner surface 
of the membrane ; the handle of the malleus lies transversely, 
and passes in the direction of one of the foci of the oval ; it 
terminates in the centre of that focus ; the muscular fibres 
not only terminate by an attachment to the point, but are 
connected to the two sides. From this arrangement, one 
portion of the fibres is short, the other more than double their 
length ; this will be better understood by the annexed 
drawing. 
So great a difference in the form and structure of this 
membrane in the elephant, from that of the human ear, 
makes it obvious that this animal cannot adapt its ear to 
musical sounds in the same manner the human ear does, the 
fibres being of such different lengths ; it became therefore a 
consideration, what purpose was answered by such a dispro- 
portion in the length of the fibres. 
Having heard from my friend Mr. Corse, who had at- 
tended to the habits of the elephant, that they heard sounds 
at a great distance, an instance of which, respecting the call 
of the young, is inserted in my former paper, I was induced 
to believe that the long fibres answered that purpose. 
To see the effect of high and low notes upon the elephant 
