294 SKELETON OF THE BABBIT 



i. The meso- cuneiform, or second tarsale, is very 

 small : it articulates with the navicular, and 

 supports the second metatarsal. 



ii. The ecto-cuneiform, or third tarsale, 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, and on the outer side, a backwardly 

 directed process, which articulates with the outer 

 side of the cuboid : this is a distinct bone in the 

 young rabbit, and probably represents the metatarsal 

 of the lost first toe or hallux. 



