196 Dr. H. F. E. Juna-ersen on the Structure 



&" 



(^4), which carries the fourth metacarpal and above joins tlie 

 great ulnar bone, and a larger radial carpale, C + c.^, which 

 carries metacarpale 11, and by means of a very little facet 

 partly also metacarpale III ; but if the carpus is seen from be- 

 hind (fig. 2) the distal series presents four pieces (in addition to 

 the lower part of the great ulnar bone), whicii, counting from 

 the ulnar side, are : carpale 4, whicli seen from this side is 

 larger and projects somewhat heel-shaped and joins a small, 

 rounded carpale 3, not visible from the dorsal side ; the bone 

 C + Cg ; and finally, articulated with the latter and distally also 

 with the metacarpale II, a still smaller oval bone, which, in 

 spite of its looking like a sesamoid, I regard as a true carpal 

 bone (ci). Thus the whole carpus of Pipa consists of 6, or, 

 if we include the sesamoid bone (s), of 7 discrete bony pieces. 



If we compare the statements of previous authors with the 

 above, rather considerable differences are met with. 



In the osteology of Pijia, prefixed as an explanation of 

 the plates to the first volume of the well-known work 

 of F. G. Schneider*, we find the following description: — 

 " Ossa carpi 7, unum maximum polygonum in latere interiore 

 cujus ad latus externum duo minora, sed tertium inferius 

 magis adhseret. In secunda serie quatuor minora, quorum 

 maximum versus exteriorai!'' Thus the number is correct, 

 but, as is shown by the words in italics, Schneider has mis- 

 taken the outer for the inner side and vice versa, and 

 confoimded the volar and dorsal faces. When these facts 

 are remembered, the other statements will be recognized as 

 quite true {cf. ray figures) ; Schneider's own figure (/. c. 

 tab. ii fig. 3) is poor and does not agree with the text, pre- 

 senting only one carpal, the ulnar " maximum polygonum." 



F. W. Breyer + adds nothing of his own to our knowledge 

 of the carpus ; but his two plates show that he shares in the 

 views of Scluieidcr, the hand in both being turned round, i. e. 

 with the underside upwards, while the arm is in the right 

 position, as also is the process x of the great ulnar carpale 

 (at m on tab. i., at n on tab. ii.), which is distinctly given, 

 while the other carpal bones are indistinctly and rather in- 

 correctly represented. 



F. T. Meckel! says : — " Bei der Fipa .... finden sich 

 nur sechs, in zwei lleihcn stehende Knochen. Die erste 



* ' Historia Amphibioruni natiiralis et literaria,' Jena, 1799, 1 Ed. 

 Tabulai'ura a.>re expressarum iuterpretatio, p. 2G2. 



t ' Observatioiies anatomicjc circa fabricam Kana3 Pipfe,' Berl. ISl 1 

 (the dissertation is " praeside Rudolphi," and thus it is often regarded 

 as a paper of the hitter author). 



\ ' System der yergleichendeu Anatomie,' 1 Tli., 1 Abth., 1824, p. 459. 



