THE BONES AND JOINTS. 



25 



8, The five metacarpal bones are slightly curved, so as 

 to make a hollow in the palm. 



The phalanges are in three rows, and are so called be- 

 cause they are like rows of soldiers 

 (Greek,phalanx,8i body of soldiers). 



The thumb stands out from the 

 rest, and can be made to meet the 

 end of each of the fingers. This 

 enables us to pick up and handle 

 small things with great delicacy. 

 None of the lower animals has a 

 thumb like man's except a few of 

 the apes, and theirs is not so per- 

 fect for handling. It is his hand 

 more than any other part, except 

 the brain, that gives man his su- 

 periority over them. Its skill and 

 delicacy when trained are won- 

 derful. Most of the work of the 

 world is done in part with the 

 hand. Very much of it could not be done at all if man's 

 hand were not as perfect as it is. 



BONES OF THE LOWER LIMB. 



SECTION IV. 1. The lower limb is divided into hip, 

 thigh, leg, and foot. In ordinary language, the word leg 

 means the lower limb from hip to foot. In anatomical 

 language, the part between the hip and knee is called the 

 thigh ; the part between the knee and foot is the leg. 



2. The hip-bone is so irregular in shape, that the old 

 anatomists could not think of any name that suited it; 

 and so they called it the os innominatum, nameless bone, 



Fig. 11. 



THE HAND. 1. Carpus, 

 acarpus. 3. Phalanges. 



I. Met- 



