T 5 2 



BEGINNERS' ZOOLOGY 



The pigeon has 



toes, the 

 — joints ; 



hind toe having — 



of the three front toes, the 



inner has joints (count 



the claw as one joint), the 



p' 



Fig. 285. — Leg Bones 

 of Bird. 



middle has 

 joints, and 

 outer toe has 



the 



Fig. 286.— Skeleton of Bird. 



Rh, vertebra:; CI, clavicle; Co, coracoid; Sc, scap- 

 ula; St, sternum; //, humerus; R, radius; U, 

 ulna; j^thumb; /■V.femur; T, tibia. See Fig. 394. 

 Questions : Which is the stiffest portion of the 

 vertebral column ? How :irc the ribs braced against 

 each other ? Which is longer, thigh bone or shin ? 

 Compare shoulder blade with man's (Fig. 399). Which 

 is the extra shoulder bone ? Compare tail vertebrx 

 with those of extinct bird, Fig. 290. 



joints (Fig. 285). 



Is the thigh of a bird bare or 



feathered ? The shin ? The 



ankle ? Where is the ankle 



joint of a bird ? Do 



you see the remains 



of another bone (the 



splint bone, or fibula) 



on the shin bone of 



the shank? (Fig. 285 



or 286.) Why would 



several joints in the 



ankle be a disadvan- 



tage to a bird ? 



