812 DIFFERENCE BETWKEX 



acknowledge the merit due to the science and the 

 sagacity of Cuvier. Before his time, those who 

 treated of the structures of animals, and of the struc- 

 tural differences of the several classes of vertcbrated 

 ones, were somewhat at a loss which to consider as 

 the additional bone in birds, and which as the true 

 clavicle ; and the furcal bone, as being the most ante- 

 rior one, and the least connected with the sternum, 

 was generally considered as "the additional one, and 

 the coracoid bones, which have nearly the same 

 relative position with regard to the sternum, as the 

 clavicles of mammalia, as the true clavicles of birds. 



But when we examine, with due attention, the 

 skeletons of all birds, whether capable or not capable 

 of flight, and if capable, whether they fly with more 

 or less power, we find that the coracoid is the true 

 distinguishing bone of the winged race the bone 

 which connects the anterior extremities with the 

 sternum as their grand support ; and that the furcal 

 bone is more or less perfect, or present, or wanting. 

 according to the difference of habit, as in the mam- 

 malia we must admit, with the illustrious author of 

 the Regne Animal, that that bone is really the clavicle; 

 and that the coracoid bone is just as essential to the 

 existence of a bird as the scapular bone is to that 

 of the mammalia. The humerus of the wing in birds 

 is as constantly articulated (that is, chiefly articulated) 

 upon the coracoid as the fore leg of the mammalia is 

 articulated upon the shoulder- bone, or blade-bone; 

 and the furcal bone is entire in the one class when 

 the joints of the shoulders require to be kept asunder, 

 and imperfect when they do not, just as it is in the 

 other. 



Thus, in birds, we have the wing as uniformly 

 referred to the sternum, by means of the coracoid, as. 



