CHAPTER VI 



THE MUSCLES OF THE FOKE-LIMB 



Turning from the skeletal features of the fore-limb to 

 the arrangement of its muscles, we again meet a like 

 condition of extremely primitive characters in the typical 

 Primate and in Man. Although most authorities are 

 agreed as to the general primitive condition of the human 

 arm and hand — and it is difficult for an osteologist to find 

 anything other than a very primitive arrangement in the 

 general plan of the bones — yet the myologist has as a 

 rule looked upon human musculature from rather a 

 different standpoint. This is not the place to make 

 detailed criticisms of the methods employed in com- 

 parative myology; but one might say that if the human 

 fore-limb muscles are compared with those of a typical 

 quadrupedal Mammal, then certain great changes will 

 be found. It is easy to assume that since Man is a 

 " high " form, and the horse, for instance, is a " low " 

 one, then the fore-limb muscles of Man have advanced 

 considerably in evolution. This type of reasoning 

 permeates the study of comparative myology, and its 

 fallacy needs no exposing since it is self-evident. If 

 there is any truth in the i)resent thesis, that the human 

 stock has never been quadrupedal, never possessed four 

 equally supporting limbs, then it is likely that the arrange- 

 ment of muscles found in the human limb will have its 

 near counterpart in some very primitive ''Vertebrate. 

 It is likely that the muscles and the bones will follow 

 exactly the same story. I think it is jDerfectly obvious 

 that they do. Far from seeing any signs that the deriva- 



32 



