PRIMARY CLASSIFICATION OF BONES. 



Organic . 

 Inorganic 



Goose. 

 . 32.91 

 , 67.09 



100.00 



Turkey. 

 30.49 

 69.51 



100.00 



Hawk, 

 26.72 

 73.28 



100.00 



From the above table, it will be seen tliat the bones of 

 the fresh-water fishes have more animal matter, and are, 

 consequently, lighter than those of fishes from the denser 

 element of sea-water; and that the marine mammal called 

 porpoise differs little from the sea-fish in this respect. 

 The batrachian frog has more animal matter in its bones 

 than the ophidian or saurian reptiles, and thereby, as in 

 other respects, more resembles the fish. Serpents almost 

 equal birds in the great proportion of the osseous salts, 

 and hence the density and ivory-like whiteness of their 

 bones. 



The chemical nature of the inorganic or hardening 

 particles, and of the organic basis of bone, is exemplified 

 in the subjoined table, including a species of each of the 

 four classes of vertebrata: — 



CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF BONES. 



Bony matter is very variously disposed in the bodies 

 of vertebrate animals. The sturgeon, the crocodile, and 



