TO THE LOWER ANIMALS. 107 



cause them to pull down the bones of the fingers towards 

 the palm. 



Not only are the principal flexors of the fingers and of 

 the thumb long muscles, but they remain quite distinct 

 from one another throughout their whole length. 



In the foot, there are also three principal flexor mus- 

 cles of the digits or toes, and three principal extensors ; 

 but one extensor and one flexor are short muscles ; that is 

 to say, their fleshy parts are not situated in the leg (which 

 corresponds with the arm), but in the back and in the sole 

 of the foot regions which correspond with the back and 

 the palm of the hand. 



Again, the tendons of the long flexor of the toes, and 

 of the long flexor of the great toe, when they reach the 

 sole of the foot, do not remain distinct from one another, 

 as the flexors in the palm of the hand do, but they become 

 united and commingled in a very curious manner while 

 their united tendons receive an accessory muscle con- 

 nected with the heel-bone. 



But perhaps the most absolutely distinctive character 

 about the muscles of the foot is the existence of what is 

 termed the peronceus longus, a long muscle fixed to the 

 outer bone of the leg, and sending its tendon to the outer 

 ankle, behind and below which it passes, and then crosses 

 the foot obliquely to be attached to the base of the great 

 toe. No muscle in the hand exactly corresponds with 

 this, which is eminently a foot muscle. 



To resume the foot of man is distinguished from his 

 hand by the following absolute anatomical differences : 



1. By the arrangement of the tarsal bones. 



2. By having a short flexor and a short extensor 



muscle of the digits. 



3. By possessing the muscle termed peroncem lon- 



gus. 



