36 



THE MAMMALIA. 



On the other hand, the five-toed limb extends from 

 the salamander to man. Together with this we 



have the most 

 various kinds of 

 disappearances 

 and coalescings 

 till we reach the 

 one-toed foot of 

 the horse, and 

 find, in fact, 

 that a diminu- 

 tion in the num- 

 ber of fingers 

 and toes takes 

 place ; never do 

 we meet with 

 a restoration 

 after the de- 

 crease, and 

 never with an 

 addition to the 

 number of toes. 

 In order to 



illustrate the fundamental form, which we shall 

 follow in its most varied and interesting changes, 

 let us take the right hand of a fresh-water tortoise 



FIG. 1. Eight hand of a river tortoise. 

 Nat. size. 



