THE MUSCLES OF THE UPPER EXTREMITY. 123 



or Forbes, and in the absence of tbe works of other 

 authors I shall be obliged to name tliern as best I may, 

 and as the functions they perform seem to indicate. 



I must believe that if Mr, Garrod had paid as much 

 attention to certain groups of the muscles of the arm, 

 forearm, and j^inion in birds, as he did to certain re- 

 stricted groups of muscles of the lower extremity, he 

 would have discovered characters of value in classifica- 

 tion fully as significant as those he so ably elucidated in 

 the latter region. His excellent observations upon the 

 methods of origin and insertion of the tensor 2)''ftagii 

 hrevis point most emphatically to that fact. As I have 

 so often repeated elsewhere, we may say as we please, 

 but the classification of animals will only be placed 

 beyond all doubt when their entire morphology is hnoum 

 and correcthj comprehended, and duly utilized. 



In the freshly plucked wing of a Raven we notice 

 how very prominent the muscles of the forearm and 

 pinion are, more particularly the tendons and muscles 

 upon the inner aspect of the forearm. In this locality, 

 it will be seen, as in the case of the tendon of the ex- 

 tensor metacarpji radialis longior, that they are almost 

 completely ensheathed in the common integuments, so 

 prominently do they stand out. In removing the skin, 

 we discover a strong fibro-elastic cord, which passes from 

 the under side of the proximal end of the ulna, and 

 joins each and every quill of the row of large feathers 

 of the wing, at a distance of about a centimetre or 

 less, all the way to the distal apex of the pinion, towards 

 which it gradually converges, and where it is finally 

 attached. This semitendinous cord plays the part, to 

 a certain deg-ree, of an antao-onistic tendon to the 

 tendon of the tensor patagii longus, it being by no 

 means an inefticient fiexor to the pinion upon the fore- 

 arm, and in closing the wing draws the hand towards the 



