158 ORIGINAL ARTICLES. 



other bones, are characterized by their unusual thickness, and the great 

 development of all the elevations and depressions for the attachment of 

 muscles. In the Anatomical Museum at Bonn, under the designation 

 of " Giant' s-bones," are some recent thigh-bones, with which in thick- 

 ness the foregoing pretty nearly correspond, although they are shorter. 



Giant's bones. Fossil bones. 



mm. mm. 



Length, 542 = 21-4" . 438 = 17-4". 



Diameter of head of femur, . . 54= 2-14" . 53= 2-0". 

 ,, of lower articular end, 



from one condyle to the other, 89 = 35" . 87 = 3*4". 



„ of femur in the middle, 33= 12" . 30= VI". 



2. A perfect right humerus, whose size shows that it belongs to the 

 thigh-bones. 



mm. 



Length, 312 = 12-3". 



Thickness in the middle, . . 26= 1*0". 

 Diameter of head, 49 = 1-9". 



Also a perfect right radius of corresponding dimensions, and the 

 upper-third of a right ulna corresponding to the humerus and radius. 



3. A left humerus, of which the upper -third is wanting, and which 

 is so much slenderer than the right as apparently to belong to a distinct 

 individual; a left ulna, which, though complete, is pathologically de- 

 formed, the coronoid process being so much enlarged by bony growth, 

 that flexure of the elbow beyond a right angle must have been impos- 

 sible ; the anterior fossa of the humerus for the reception of the coronoid 

 process being also filled up with a similar bony growth. At the same 

 time, the olecranon is curved strongly downwards. As the bone presents 

 no sign of rachitic degeneration, it may be supposed that an injury sus- 

 tained during life was the cause of the anchylosis. When the left ulna 

 is compared with the right radius, it might at first sight be concluded 

 that the bones respectively belonged to different individuals, the ulna 

 being more than half an inch too short for articulation with a corre- 

 sponding radius. But it is clear that this shortening, as well as the at- 

 tenuation of the left humerus, are both consequent upon the pathologi- 

 cal condition above described. 



4. A left ilium, almost perfect, and belonging to the femur ; a frag- 

 ment of the right scapula; the anterior extremity of a rib of the right 

 side ; and the same part of a rib of the left side ; the hinder part of a 

 rib of the right side ; and, lastly, two short hinder portions and one 

 middle portion of ribs, which, from their unusually rounded shape, and 

 abrupt curvature, more resemble the ribs of a carnivorous animal than 

 those of a man. Dr. H. v. Meyer, however, to whose judgment I defer, 

 will not venture to declare them to be ribs of any animal ; and it only 

 remains to suppose that this abnormal condition has arisen from an unu- 

 sually powerful development of the thoracic muscles. 



