TO THE LOWER ANIMALS. 103 



binding together four bones, and dividing into four long 

 and flexible digits, or fingers, each of which bears on the 

 back of its last joint a broad and flattened nail. The long- 

 est cleft between any two digits is rather less than half as 

 loner as the hand. From the outer side of the base of the 

 palm a stout digit goes off, having only two joints instead 

 of three ; so short, that it only reaches to a little beyond 

 the middle of the first joint of the finger next it ; and fur- 

 ther remarkable by its great mobility, in consequence of 

 which it can be directed outwards, almost at a right angle 

 to the rest. This digit is called the ' poilexj or thumb ; 

 and, like the others, it bears a fiat nail upon the back of 

 its terminal joint. In consequence of the proportions and 

 mobility of the thumb, it is what is termed " opposable ; ' 

 in other words, its extremity can, with the greatest ease, 

 be brought into contact with the extremities of any of the 

 fingers ; a property upon which the possibility of our 

 carrying into effect the conceptions of the mind so largely 

 depends. 



The external form of the foot differs widely from that 

 of the hand ; and yet, when closely compared, the two 

 present some singular resemblances. Thus the ankle cor- 

 responds in a manner with the wr r st ; the sole with the 

 palm ; the toes with the fingers ; the great toe with the 

 thumb. But the toes, or digits of the foot, are far shorter 

 in proportion than the digits of the hand, and are less 

 moveable, the want of mobility being most striking in the 

 great toe — which, again, is very much larger in propor- 

 tion to the other toes than the thumb to the fingers. In 

 considering this point, however, it must not be forgotten 

 that the civilized great toe, confined and cramped from 

 childhood upwards, is seen to a great disadvantage, and 

 that in uncivilized and barefooted people it retains a great 

 amount of mobility, and even some sort of opposability. 



