COMPOSITION OP BONES. 



113 



[ 236. The internal skeleton of the vertebrata is formed, 

 for the most part, of bone, a substance which is peculiar 

 to this primary division of the animal kingdom. It consists 

 of an organic gelatinous matter, hardened by inorganic earthy 

 particles distributed regularly throughout the animal tissue. 

 The relative proportion of the organic to the inorganic matter 

 varies in the different classes of the vertebrata; the bones of fishes 

 have the least, those of birds the greatest proportion of inorganic 

 elements, whilst reptiles and mammals occupy an intermediate 

 position ; the mammals, however, especially the active preda- 

 cious genera, having a larger proportion than the reptiles. From 

 a series of experiments recently made, and conducted with 

 great care, by Bibra,* on thoroughly dried bones of fishes, rep- 

 tiles, birds, and mammals, the following results were obtained. 



[ 237. FISHES. 



SALMON. CARP. 



Salmo salar. Cyprinus carpio. 



Organic 60.62 40.40 



Inorganic 39.38 59.60 



COD. 



Gadus morrhua, 

 34.30 

 65.70 



Organic . . 

 Inorganic 



1000 



FROG. 



Sana esculenta. 

 ... 35.50 

 64.50 



1000 



DOLI 'TIN. 



Lelphinus 4 ?lphis. 



Organic 35.90 



Inorganic . . 64.10 



1000 



1000 

 REPTILES. 



SNAKE. 



Coluber natrlx. 



31.04 



68.96 



1000 



MAMMALS, 

 ox.f 



Bos taunts. 

 31.00 

 69.00 



1000 



1000 



LIZARD. 



Lacerta agilis. 



46.67 

 53.33 



1000 



WILD CAT.f 



Felis catus. 



27.77 

 72.23 



1000 



MAN.f 

 Homo. 

 31.03 

 68.97 



1000 



BIRDS. 



TURKEY.f 

 Meleaaris gallo-pavo. 

 30.49 

 69.51 



HAWK.f 



gallinarius. 



26.72 

 73.28 



GOOSE.f 

 Anser. 



Organic 32.91 



Inorganic 67.09 



1000 



* Chemische Untersuchungen iiber die Knochen u. Zahne des Mens- 

 Chen u. der Wirbelthiere, 1844. 

 t From the femur. 



1000 



1000 



