Atiatomjj of the Chimpanzee. 349 



nature of this attacliment, and by all the peculiarities of their 

 structure, we perceive that they are given to him as instru- 

 ments adapted either for pushing away from him, seizing, or 

 embracing objects, and, in particular, as organs of touch. It 

 is to the hand, in particular, that the duty of fulfilling these 

 ofl&ces is assigned. Every thing concurs, in man, to render it 

 an organ of the greatest perfection, and in this respect no ani- 

 mal can rival him. Let us observe, accordingly, that it is for 

 the purpose of executing these different functions that the 

 palm is enlarged, radiating, and terminating in fingers, each 

 plialange of which has its proper motor ; that the thumb has 

 a different direction from the other fingers, is not placed on 

 the same line with them, but can be opposed to each of them ; 

 that the hand not only exercises a movement of extension and 

 flexure, but can be turned forwards and backwards, by a me- 

 chanism peculiar to the wrist ; that the articulation of the 

 shoulder is formed in such a manner that the moveniBnts of 

 the humerus, and consequently all the upper extremity, be- 

 come as extensive as possible ; that the muscular sides of the 

 palm are so disposed, that the hand can form the palm into a 

 hollow. All these arrangements are found in the greatest 

 perfection in man, and the first result of them is, that he has 

 the power of seizing an object with only one hand, while the 

 other mammifera, whose fore-feet have some resemblance to 

 the upper extremities in man, cannot hold objects but by 

 using both hands. To this monkeys are the only exception. 

 In thajn the fore-foot resembles the human hand, although it 

 is -^Ifcj- inferior to the latter. The palm is longer, and not so 

 broad ; the fingers are more elongated, and less insulated in 

 their movements; the thumb is placed farther backwards, ami, 

 in its direction, less oj)[)osed to the fingers. Among them, 

 consequently, the hand becomes less an organ of touch and 

 prehension, than a means of aiding them in their movements 

 while climbing trees. This hnperfection is seen in its greatest 

 degree among the sapajous and sajom. This is perhaps tlic 

 reason why they are possessed of an accessory organ of mo- 

 tion, formed by the prehensile tail. In the ourang-outang, cii 

 the contrary, ami still more in the Chimpanzee, the haiid 

 makes a much nearer oj>i)ioucli to tiiat ol man. Although 



