504 Modern Dogs. 



as it is united with the sacrum a graceful rise, which 

 disappears at the base or set on of the tail 



"If the animal were not so low to the ground its 

 body would not appear of such length as it appears 

 to be. At the same time, it is a lengthy body, but 

 well supported by ribs ; and as the ribs cease and 

 we approach the sternum or chest, we find this to 

 be capacious and of great width, the superior 

 portion of the sternum standing out most promi- 

 nently. 



" The body of the chest comes right down between 

 the fore-legs, fitting tightly in an angle formed by 

 the approximation of the two radial bones, which 

 are of great thickness. Below this point the carpus 

 is straight, but the metacarpus inclines outwards* 

 and the phalanges or toes completely so. 



" In not a few specimens the carpus inclines 

 forwards, thus giving the animal the appearance of 

 knuckling over, which is a decided fault, and this is 

 due largely to a forward inclination of the radius and 

 ulna bones, which ought to incline inwards, and fit 

 closely to the chest wall. On looking at the animal 

 from the front we at once observe why the legs 

 assume this peculiar formation, viz., inclining inwards 

 from the elbow joint to the wrist joint, and then out- 

 wards again to the end of the toes. 



" If the legs of the heavy Le Couteulx were straight 



