﻿178 



FIRST BOOK OF ZOOLOGY. 



The foregoing figure {see page 177) represents the lower 

 portion of the leg-bones of a bird. 



It will be seen that three of the metatarsal bones, corre- 

 sponding to the three long toes, are combined ; their ends, 

 where the toes join on, appearing separate, while the meta- 

 tarsal bone of the short toe on the side remains separate from 

 the others. 



At the ankle-joint, or tarsus, there are no separate tarsal 

 bones to be seen, nor would their existence be know^n, except 

 theoretically, without an examination of the embryo. 



The following figure represents the appearance of the leg 



tibia. 



metjtarsus. 



\ phalanges. 



Fifl. 157.— Right Leg of an Embryo Bird greatly enlarged.— Only She lower portion 



of the tibia and fibula is drawn. 



