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Section XII. 

 PLANTAR SYSTEM. 



COMPRISING THE FOUR FEET. 



OF THE FOOT. 



• The foot is the part upon which the animal stands; with 

 which he treads the ground ; and by which his body is sup- 

 ported. Of his whole structure it constitutes the basis. 



Number. — Animals exhibit differences in the number of their 

 feet, and accordingly have been distributed into classes, con- 

 sisting of bipeds, quadrupeds, and multipedes. Bipeds include 

 men and birds. Quadrupeds comprehend most of the land 

 animals. Multipedes embrace insects. The reptile genus, such 

 as serpents, &c. being without feet. 



Toes or Claws. — Another classification of animals has been 

 formed from the number of toes or claws their feet are cleft or 

 divided into. Those possessing but one toe, and consequently 

 an undivided foot, come into the class of monodacti/les, solipedes, 

 or solidungulous animals : they are the horse, the ass, and the 

 mule. The didactyles, or two-toed class, embrace the rumi- 

 nants — oxen, sheep, and goats. The tetradactyles, or four- 

 toed, include the dog, the cat, and the hog. 



Division. — Founded upon the obvious and important differ- 

 ences existing between the external and internal composition of 

 the foot, a division has been made of its parts into those that are 

 sensible or sensitive, and those that are insensible or insensitive. 

 A more suitable phraseology would have been found in the terms 

 organic and inorganic ; since of the parts they are meant to dis- 

 tinguish, one possesses neither nerves, nor bloodvessels, nor 

 absorbent vessels ; while the others are furnished with all these 

 attributes of organization. 



The external parts of the foot consist entirely of horn, and 

 from such composition have, collectively, got the name of hoof , 



The internal parts consist of bones, ligaments, and tendons, 

 besides structures peculiar to the foot. 



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