334 THE SKELETON OF THE RABBIT. 



small : it articulates with the navicular, and 

 supports the second metatarsal. 



ii. The third tarsale, or ecto-cuneiform, lies to the 

 outer side of the meso-cuneiform. It arti- 

 culates with the navicular, and supports the 

 third metatarsal. 



iii. The cuboid, formed by the fusion of the fourth 

 and fifth tarsalia, is a much larger bone, on 

 the outer side of the foot : it articulates with 

 the calcaneum and navicular, and supports 

 the fourth and fifth metatarsals. 



4. The foot of the rabbit has only four toes, the preaxial 

 digit of the typical foot, corresponding to the great 

 toe in man, having almost completely disappeared. 



Each of the four digits consists of a long meta- 

 tarsal bone, followed by three phalanges, the last of 

 which bears a claw. 



The second (apparent first) metatarsal has at its 

 proximal end a backwardly directed process, which 

 articulates with the navicular : this is a distinct bone 

 in the young rabbit, and probably represents the 

 ecto-cuneiform and the metatarsal of the lost first 

 toe or hallux (see fig. 63, p. 328). 



