OSSEOUS SYSTEM OF MAMMALIA. 83 



strength, breadth, and solidity of the hands ; the shortness of the fingers ; 

 and the size and robustness of the nails, which are concave below, and 

 terminate in an acute point. As organs of excavation, they cannot be 

 exceeded ; and it will be found, that the whole of the anterior limbs, and 

 the arrangement of the osseous framework generally, are in perfect har- 

 mony. The carpus, a, of fig. 83, which represents the bones of the Mole's 

 hand, is short, but broad, and consists of eleven bones : the first row 

 having four ; the second, or anterior row, six. In addition to which, a 

 lateral bone of large dimensions, and compressed form, b, convex on its 

 outward aspect, extends from the carpal extremity of the radius to the an- 

 terior extremity of the first metacarpal bone, not only enlarging the 

 breadth of the hand, but adding to its firmness and solidity. The bones 

 of the first row are the scaphoid, the semilunar, a large pisiform, and a 

 cuneiform bone. The number, in the anterior row, depends upon a super- 

 numerary bone between the scaphoid, the great, and the cuneiform bones ; 

 and a small bone placed on the radial side of the trapezium. The 

 metacarpal bones, c, are short and thick, as are the phalanges of the 

 fingers, d, except the terminal phalanges, which are long, and sheathed 

 with powerful nails : these last phalanges, only, can be folded down 

 towards the palm, and, indeed, are alone free. The fore-arm consists 

 of the ulna and radius. The ulna is large and flat : its superior extre- 

 mity, or olecranon, is greatly developed, and of remarkable breadth, in 

 order to afford a full and secure attachment to the voluminous extensor 

 muscles of the fore-arm : the radius is placed at the inside of the ulna, 

 in accordance with the outward tournure of the hand. The humerus, 

 instead of being a long bone, is a thick, square, irregular mass, pre- 

 senting bold projections for the attachment of muscles, and especially 

 those of rotation. The clavicles, like the humerus, differ from those 

 in all other Mammalia, and are short square bones, with a very re- 

 markable peculiarity in their articulation. They are joined, as usual, 

 to the sternum, by a large articulating surface ; but they are also united, 

 by a moveable articulation, to the greater portion of the head of the 

 humerus ; this junction being strengthened, anteriorly, by a strong 

 ligament. It is by a ligament only that they are connected with the sca- 

 pulae : these bones (the scapulas) are remarkable for their length and 

 narrowness ; their acromion process, also, which is considerable, does 

 not advance to unite immediately with the clavicle. 



The following sketch (fig. 85) represents the skeleton of the Mole. 

 The anterior limbs are thrown as far forward as possible ; for it is to 

 a projecting portion, a, of the sternum, ft, which advances from the 

 chest, that the clavicles are affixed. Down this advanced portion, a 

 keel, like that on the sternum of birds, is continued, for the attach- 

 ment of the enormous pectoral muscles, which are inserted into the 



