CHARACTERISTICS OF MAN. 63 



part, are peculiarly large and strong in Man ; and this arrangement is obviously 

 adapted to overcome the tendency, which the weight of the viscera in front of 

 the column would have, to draw it forwards and downwards. On the other 

 hand, the spinous processes of the cervical and dorsal vertebrae, which grfe in 

 other Mammalia large and strong, for the attachment of the ligamentum nuchae 

 to support the head, have in Man but little prominence, his head being nearly 

 balanced on the top of the column. The base of the human vertebral column 

 is placed on a sacrum of greater proportional breadth than that of any other 

 animal; this sacrum is fixed between two widely-expanded ilia ; and the whole 

 pelvis is thus peculiarly broad. In this manner, the femoral articulations are 

 thrown very far apart, so as to give a wide basis of support ; and by the oblique 

 direction of the whole pelvis, the weight of the body is transmitted almost ver- 

 tically, from the top of the sacrum to the upper part of the thigh bones. The 

 pelvis of every other species of the class is very differently constructed ; as 

 will be seen in the adjoining Figure (6), in which the skeleton of the Orang 

 is placed in proximity with that of Man. It is much longer and narrower, 

 having a far smaller space between the iliac bones and the lowest ribs ; the 

 sacrum is lengthened and reduced in width ; the alae of the ilia are much less 

 expanded ; and the whole pelvis is brought nearly into a line with the verte- 

 bral column. The position of the human femur, in which it is most securely 

 fixed in its deep acetabulum, is that which it has, when supporting the body 

 in the erect attitude. In the Chimpanzee and Orang, its analogous position 

 is at an oblique angle to the long axis of the pelvis, with the body supported 

 obliquely in front of it ; in many Mammalia, as in the Elephant, it forms nearly 

 a right angle ; and in several others, as the Horse, Ox, &c., it forms an acute 

 angle with the axis of the pelvis and spinal column. 



65. The lower extremities of Man are remarkable for their length, which is 

 proportionably greater than that which we find in any other Mammalia, ex- 

 cept the Kangaroo tribe. It is evident that there could be no greater obstacle to 

 his progression in the horizontal posture, than this length of what would then 

 be his hind legs. Either Man would be obliged to rest on his knees, with his 

 thighs so bent towards the trunk, that the attempt to advance them would be 

 inconvenient, his legs and feet being entirely useless ; or he must elevate his 

 trunk upon the extremities of his toes, throwing his head downwards, and 

 exerting himself violently at every attempt to bring forward the thighs by a 

 rotatory motion at the hip-joint. In either case, the only useful joint would 

 be that at the hip ; and the le^s would be scarcely superior to wooden or other 

 rigid supports. The chief difference in their proportional length, between 

 Man and the semi-erect Apes, is seen in the thigh ; and from the comparative 

 shortness of his arms, his hands only reach the middle of the thighs ; whilst 

 in the Chimpanzee they hang on a level with the knees, and in the Orang 

 they descend to the ankles. The Human femur is distinguished by its form 

 and position, as well as by its length. The obliquity and length of its neck 

 still further increase the breadth of the hips ; whilst they cause the lower ex- 

 tremities of these bones to be somewhat obliquely directed towards each other, 

 so that the knees are brought more into the line of the axis of the body. This 

 position is obviously of great use in walking, when the whole weight has to be 

 alternately supported on each limb ; for, if the knees had been further apart, 

 the whole body must have been swung from side to side at each step, so as to 

 bring the centre of gravity over the top of each tibia ; and, as a matter of fact, 

 it is noticed that the walk of women, in whom the pelvis is broader and the 

 knees more separated, is less steady than that of man. There is a very marked 

 contrast between the knee-joint of Man, and that even of the highest Apes. 

 In the former, the opposed extremities of the femur and the tibia are expanded, 

 so as to present a very broad articulating surface ; and the internal condyle of 



