Each bony canal contains within it a membranous canal, at the end of which it is dilated to form an ampulla.

(Magnified; the upper figure of the natural size.) A, oval window (foramen ovale); B, C, D, semicircular canals; * represents the bulging part (ampulla) of each canal; E, F, G cochlea, H, round window (foramen rotundum).

Ampulla (Lat. ampulla, a wine-flask).

Ampulla (Lat. ampulla, a wine-flask).

Besides, staffs, sceptres, spurs, the Ampulla of the Holy Oil, the Coronation Spoon, the Golden Salt-cellar of State, in the shape of a castle, Baptismal Font, used at the Christening of the Royal Children, a Silver Wine Fountain, maces, swords, bracelets &c.,all arranged upon a large table, enclosed by a glass case and shielded by iron palings.

And above all, if he were king without a coronation, and without the oil from the sacred ampulla, what advantage was yet open to him by celerity above his competitor the English boy?

And though they be poor in show, vile and base, yet like Telephus and Peleus in the poet, Ampullas jactant et sesquipedalia verba, "forget their swelling and gigantic words," their mouths are full of myriads, and tetrarchs at their tongues' end.

At daybreak, the King sent a deputation of barons to the Abbey of St. Remi for the holy vial, which was a small glass vessel called ampoule, from the Latin word ampulla, containing the holy oil to be used at the royal anointing.

[Projicit ampullas et sesquipedalia verba.

[Illustration: AMPULLA.]

The ampulla is an antique vessel of pure gold, used for containing the holy oil at coronations.

Horace, who copied most of his Criticisms after Aristotle, seems to have had his Eye on the foregoing Rule in the following Verses: Et Tragicus plerumque dolet Sermone pedestri, Telephus et Peleus, cum pauper et exul uterque, Projicit ampullas et sesquipedalia verba, Si curat cor Spectantis tetigisse querelâ.

[Projicit ampullas et sesquipedalia verba.

It is a broken bit from the bottom of a little jar (ampulla); but that little glass jar once held the drops of a martyr's blood, which had been carefully gathered up by those who learned from him how to die, and placed here as a precious memorial of his faith.

In the earlier burials, no differences, save the ampulla and the palm, or some equally slight sign, distinguished the graves of the martyrs from those of other Christians.