170 THE STORY OF ANIMAL LIFE 



several at this period Succeeded in hanging for 

 over a minute and a half, two for over two 

 minutes, and one infant of three weeks old for 

 two minutes thirty-five seconds ! " " Thus," says 

 Dr. Robinson, "a three-weeks-old baby can per- 

 form a feat of muscular strength that would tax 

 the powers of many a healthy adult. If any of 

 my readers doubt this," he adds, " let them try 

 hanging by their hands from a horizontal bar for 

 three minutes." 



In these facts Dr. Robinson finds something 

 to remind us of the ape-babies that owe their 

 safety to their capability of holding on to a tree- 

 climbing mother ; and also something to suggest 

 connection with an ancestor which, although well 

 accustomed to the use of its hands, had yet to 

 learn the use of its feet for walking on flat 

 ground. 



The same author, in discussing the " Meaning 

 of a Baby's Footprint," has shown that the foot 

 of a young child bears traces of adaptation to a 

 state of existence in which it was used for pur- 

 poses other than that of walking. 



" The toes of infants," says Dr. Robinson, " are 

 much more mobile than those of adults. The 

 great toe is shorter than the second and third, 

 and is often separated from the second by a con- 

 siderable interval. The four outer toes can be, 

 and frequently are, bent downwards so as to show 

 a distinct knuckle on the upper aspect of the foot 

 at the metatarso-phalangeal joint, and when at 

 the same time the great toe is flexed and turned 

 inwards towards the sole, the front part of the 

 foot makes a very respectable fist. The great 

 and little toes are often made to approach one 

 another beneath the rest, and I have seen one 



