90 



THE ARTISTIC ANATOMY OF ANIMALS 



innermost toe is not only directed backward, but the external 

 toe accompanies it in that direction ; consequently, there are 

 two posterior and two anterior toes. Sometimes they are 

 aU directed forwards ; this disposition is found in the 

 martins. In some birds, the number of toes is reduced to 

 three : the cassowary shows this reduction ; in others, the 

 number is still further diminished — the ostrich, for example, 

 has but two. 



Further, we find that, in general, the number of the 

 phalanges increases, when we examine the toes in com- 



FiG. 48. — Skeleton of the Foot of a Bird (the Cock) : Left Side, 



External Surface. 



I, Metatarsus ; 2, spur , 3, rudimentary metatarsal ; 4, first toe ; 

 5, second toe ; 6, third toe ; 7, fourth toe. 



mencing with the most internal (Fig. 48) : this has two ; 

 then the following one three ; that which comes next in 

 order has four ; and the most external toe has five. The 

 phalanges of this last are short ; so that, although it is 

 formed by a larger number of bones, it is not the longest of 

 the toes. 



THE POSTERIOR LIMBS IN SOME ANIMALS. 



Plantigrades : Bear (Fig. 33, p. 50). — The external 

 iliac fossa is very deep. The femur is longer than the 

 bones of the leg ; the great trochanter does not reach the 



