128 THE NATURAL HISTORY OF 



the insertion of the muscles of the shoulder, and also of 

 those which give motion to the fin. 



Of the Bones of the Forearm. — The radius is flat, 

 larger and thicker than the ulna, and offers no striking 

 peculiarity, except the hardness of its compact tissue. 

 Its articulation with the body is the same as with the 

 ulna. The Ulna, or Cubitus, forms the inferior margin 

 of the forearm ; it is flat but curved through all its 

 length ; at the brachial extremity is a flattened tuberose 

 process, which gives origin to strong tendons passing to 

 the extremity of the fingers. The carpal extremity is 

 united to the hand by a powerful tendinous substance : 

 all the body of the bone has externally a dense compact 

 tissue of ossific matter. The interosseous Space, or ca- 

 vity, between the radius and ulna, is very narrow; it 

 has a very thick membrane, not unlike a piece of leather. 



The Carpus, or Wrist. — This is composed of six 

 large bones ; some in the form of a cube, others in that 

 of a cylinder. They appear to have no articulated sur- 

 faces ; but, on the contrary, are at very great distances 

 from each other, and seem as though they were fixed in 

 a thick tendinous substance, which envelopes them on 

 all sides ; so that, to preserve these bones in their na- 

 tural state, it was impossible for Dr. Dubar to pay any 

 attention to their particular shape. 



The Metacarpus, or Hand, is composed of four long 

 and thick bones, the two middle ones bearing a resem- 

 blance, but not in magnitude, to the thigh-bones of an 

 ox ; and, with the excejition of the index, the three 

 others are united to one and the same bone. They are 

 slightly curved, and are of an equal thickness through- 

 out. 



The Fingers. — The fingers are four in number, and 



