THE MUSCLES OF THE LOWER EXTREMITY. 225 



from muscles at the back of the leg. One of these 

 perforates the other two, and runs the entire length of 

 the toe, to become inserted at the tubercle at the under 

 side of the bony core of the claw or the ungual phalanx. 

 Of the two perforated tendons the longer one is inserted 

 at the distal end of the , basal phalanx, and the shorter 

 one at the middle of the shaft of the same bone. In the 

 middle or third toe (with three joints and a bony claw) 

 we find also a long perforating tendon inserted as in the 

 last toe, with the longer perforated tendon inserted at 

 the distal extremity of the second phalanx, while the 

 shorter one stops at a point over the shaft of the liasal 

 joint. Now the outer toe (with four joints and an un- 

 gual phalanx or bony claw) has but two tendons, one 

 perforating and the other perforated. The perforating 

 one behaves as in the other toes, running clear to the 

 tubercle at the lower base of the ungual phalanx for 

 insertion, while the perforated one sends down its 

 bifurcations, one on either side of the perforating tendon, 

 to be inserted in the one case over the shaft of the basal 

 joint, and in the other at the distal end of the joint 

 next beyond, thus making up for the absent tendon in 

 this toe. 



It is evident from this we have in the second and 

 third toes a perforating tendon and two perforated 

 tendons, while in the fourth toe we have a perforating 

 and a perforated one. All of these tendons at the hack 

 of the tarso-7neta.tarsus hone are separate. 



I have carefully read over and compared the writings 

 upon the plantar or flexor tendons in birds, by Owen, 

 Garrod, Forbes, Mivart, and Coues, and am convinced 

 that no little difference of opinion ol:)tains among these 

 writers, and I regret to say that I am compelled to intro- 

 duce still another opinion in the case of two or three of 



Q 



