OSTEOLOGY 141 



developed in Teonoma, but as none of these three muscles 

 was noted as relatively stronger in that animal, the develop- 

 ment of this process may well be due to some difference in 

 the average of the kind of work performed by the muscles 

 in question. 



Antekior limb 



In analyzing the actions of the limbs, it will be seen that 

 the scapula plays a considerable mechanical part in the 

 activities of the fore leg. It may be thrust forward or back- 

 ward as occasion demands, this, in reality, adding functional 

 length to the real length of the leg proper. This in some 

 degree compensates for the (usually) greater length of the 

 hind leg in mammals with its immovable pelvis; or if one 

 prefer, the reverse may be stated. At any rate, if one is to be 

 precise, the thesis must be accepted that the scapula is in 

 some degree a functional portion of the thoracic limb. It is 

 equally true that the immovable pelvis can not be con- 

 sidered as having the same relation to the hind limb. 



In comparing functional length of the fore and hind legs, 

 therefore, the measurement should be taken from the hip 

 joint for the latter, and for the former, really from some 

 indeterminate position upon the scapula, the exact point 

 depending entirely upon the importance of this segment 

 in the economy of movement. The importance and degree 

 of such movements naturally vary much in different mam- 

 mals, and any arbitrary point selected for beginning this 

 projected measurement of functional length of fore leg would 

 vary with each investigator, and to a corresponding degree 

 would be valueless. 



Under present technique, therefore, the inclusion of any 

 fractional measurement of the scapula in a consideration of 

 the functional length of the fore limb is not practicable, 

 however desirable it may be from a theoretical viewpoint. 

 Perhaps this really is not of great import, for what is chiefly 



