178 



FIRST BOOK OF ZOOLOGY. 



The foregoing figure (see page 177) represents the lower 

 portion of the leg-bones of a bird. 



It will be seen that three of the metatarsal bones, corre- 

 sponding to the three long toes, are combined ; their ends, 

 where the toes join on, appearing separate, while the meta- 

 tarsal bone of the short toe on the side remains separate from 

 the others. 



At the ankle-joint, or tarsus, there are no separate tarsal 

 bones to be seen, nor would their existence be known, except 

 theoretically, without an examination of the embryo. 



The following figure represents the appearance of the leg 



tibia. 



tarsus. 



} metatarsus. 



} phalanges. 



FIG. 157. EIGUT LEG OF AN EMBRYO BIRD GREATLY ENLARGED. Only the lower portion 



of the tibia and fibula is drawn. 



