219 



PROCEEDINGS OF LEARNED SOCIETIES. 



ROYAL SOCIETY. 



January 10, 1867. — Lieut- General Sabine, President, in the Chair. 



" On the Appendicular Skeleton of the Primates." By St. George 

 Mivart, F.Z.S., Lecturer on Comparative Anatomy at St. Mary*s 

 Hospital. 



The author began by mentioning the principal variations found 

 in the order Primates, as to the absolute and relative length of the 

 pectoral limb with and without the manus ; and then taking each bone 

 separately, described the modifications undergone by each in all the 

 genera of the order*, as also the relative size of the segments and 

 bones of the limb compared to each other and to the spine. The 

 pelvic limb was then similarly treated of, and, in addition, its seg- 

 ments and bones were compared with the homotypal segments and 

 bones of the pectoral limb. 



The author after this reconsidered the question as to the use of 

 the terms " hand " and " foot," and the applicability of the term 

 " Quadrumanous " to Apes and Lemuroids. 



He controverted the position lately assumed by Dr. Lucaef , that 

 both anatomically and physiologically the pes of apes is more like 

 the human hand than the human foot. At the same time he recom- 

 mended the use of unambiguous homological terms, such as " manus" 

 and "pes" (already adopted by some) instead of "hand" and 

 " foot," in all treatises on comparative anatomy. 



Tables of the dimensions and proportions of the limbs, their seg- 

 ments, and bones were then given, exhibiting the variations pre- 

 sented in these respects throughout the whole series of genera. 



The author then considered the more peculiar forms of the order, 

 beginning with Man. 



The principal resemblances and differences in form, size, and pro- 

 portion between the human appendicular skeleton and that of other 

 primates were given in detail, followed by a list of those points in 

 which man differs, as to the bony structure of his limbs, from all 

 other primates. 



The limb-skeletons of the Orang, Marmoset, Indri, Slender Lemur, 

 Tarsier, and Aye-aye were then similarly reviewed, and lists given 

 of the absolute peculiarities found in each. 



The conclusion arrived at from these comparisons was, that Man 

 differs less from the higher Apes than do certain primates below him 

 from each other, and that he, thus judgedy evidently takes his place 

 amongst the members of the suborder Anthropoidea, 



* Except certain Lemuroids, of iffhich no specimens exist in this country, 

 t Abhandlungen von der Senckenbergischen Naturforschenden Gesellschaft 

 (Frankfort, 1865), vol. v. p. 275. 



