xvi ii.] PRIMATES. 301 



tibia, an ossification of the internal interarticular semilunar 

 cartilage. 



Special Characters of the Bones of the Thigh and Leg in the 

 various Groups. 



In Man, the femur (see Fig. 109, p. 298) is long and 

 rather slender, the shaft is curved forwards, the head is 

 large and globular, the neck elongated and narrow. 



In the Gorilla, the femur is much shorter and broader ; 

 the head is smaller and less globular, the neck is shorter 

 and set on the shaft more at a right angle. In the Chim- 

 panzee the femur more resembles that of Man. In the 

 Lemurs it is very slender and straight, the head is globular, 

 md the neck very short. 



The tibia and fibula are distinct, and well developed in 



ill the Primates, and are united with each other only at 



their extremities. Fabellae are wanting in the highest forms, 



>ut generally present in the others. The patella is usually 



)road and flat, and more or less lozenge-shaped. 



In the terrestrial Carnivora, the femur is straight, mode- 



itely slender, and with rather a small head. The fibula is 



slender, and in the Dogs curved towards the tibia, the lower 



ilf being closely applied to that bone ; but in the Bears, 



id many others, there is a considerable interval between 



the bones throughout, except at their articular extremities. 



r abellae are generally present. 



In the Seals, the femur is exceedingly short, broad, and 



Lttened, with a globular head and an extremely short neck. 



'he fibula is almost as large as the tibia, especially at the 



listal end. These bones are commonly ankylosed together 



it their proximal extremities. ' 



Among the Insectivora, the Hedgehog has a strong 

 ridge below the great trochanter of the femur, and several 



