80 NATURAL HISTORY OP 



ported on the last phalanx, which is of a very po 

 culiar form. Its two portions are united to each 

 other at nearly right angles. The base of the claw 

 is received into a groove in the body of the bone, to 

 prevent its being pushed backwards in the violent 

 action of the paws. The two parts of the bone form 

 a species of hook or crotchet. The superior end of 

 this phalanx, in this state of repose, is placed almost 

 vertically ; while the other extremity lies nearly pa- 

 rallel to the second. The articulation is at the upper 

 end of the vertical portion, arid the flexor tendons, 

 passing over the upper part of the bone, are strongly 

 fixed to the other portion. The action of the flexof 

 profundus causes the wholo bone to move through 

 90 round the end of the second phalanx. The last 

 phalanx is kept in its retracted state by the tendon 

 a, which passes from the extensor tendon up to the 

 base of the third phalanx ; and also by b and c, elas- 

 tic ligaments which proceed by double heads from 

 the tendinous expansion at the top of the second 

 phalanx, and form bands on each side, which are 

 united at the palmar base of the claw. From the 

 twisted form of the second phalanx, the third does 

 not move over its end in the same place, but on re- 

 traction falls a little on its outer side. 



" d. is the strong round tendon of the flexor pro- 

 fundus, which passes over the superior extremity of 

 the last phalanx to e, as over a pulley, giving prodi- 

 gious power to the action of that muscle. This tendon 



