MONKEYS. 85 



Uiis country, the foot was observed to rest on its outer 

 edge. The plantaris muscle also, which is very fleshy 

 among quadrumanous animals, instead of terminating, 

 as it does in man, by insertion in the os calcis, passes 

 over that bone into the sole, and is there connected with 

 the plantar aponeurosis, an arrangement incompatible 

 with the erect attitude, as the tendon would be com- 

 pressed, and its action impeded, if the heel rested on 

 the ground.* But the most marked peculiarity in the 

 foot, and one which is instantly perceived, is the great 

 length of the phalanges or toes, and the position of 

 the great toe, which is placed nearly in a line with 

 the ankle, and does not reach, at the nail, within an 

 inch of the first metatarsal joint, having the appearance 

 of a thumb and hand, whose office it in reality performs. 

 Sor is the internal conformation less remarkable ; the 

 whole arrangement of muscles is much nearer to that 

 of a hand ; but the thumbs of both the fore and hind 

 extremities have no separate flexor longus, (long flex- 

 or,) but receive tendons from the flexors of the fingers. 

 " Hence, the thumbs in these animals will generally 

 be bent together with the other fingers ; and they are 

 less capable of those actions in which the motion of the 

 thumb is combined with that of the fore and middle 

 finger- a combination so important in numerous deli- 

 cate operations." t 



The upper extremity approaches much nearer to the 



* Lawrence, Nat. Hist, of Man. f Ibid, page 162, 



