144 EVENINGS AT THE MICROSCOPE 



combs toward their tips; and, further, that the edge of 

 the tibia so scraped would be the hinder edge, as the leg 

 is ordinarily carried in the act of walking. 



Now, if you take another glance at the basket-joint in 

 the forceps of the microscope, you will see what, per- 

 haps, you have already noticed that the marginal spines 

 have not exactly the same curvature on the two opposite 

 edges, but that those of the one edge are nearly straight, 

 or at most but slightly bowed, whereas those of the op- 

 posite edge are strongly curved, the arc in many of them 

 reaching even to a semicircle, so that their points, after 

 performing the outward arch, return to a position perpen- 

 dicularly over the medial line of the basket. 



It is the outer or hinder edge of the joint that carries the 

 comparatively straight spines. These receive the grains from 

 the combs, which, then falling into the basket, are received 

 into the wide concavity formed partly by its bottom and 

 sides, but principally by the arching spines of the opposite 

 edge. Their curving form would have been less suitable 

 than the straighter one to pass through the interstices of 

 the combs, because it would be much more difficult to get 

 at their points; while, on the other hand, the straight lines 

 of these would have been far less effective as a receiver 

 for the burden. The thickness of the spines is just that 

 which enables them to pass freely through the interstices 

 of the comb-teeth, and no more. 



On the whole, this combination of contrivances reads 

 us as instructive a lesson of the wisdom of God displayed 

 in creation as any that we have had brought under our 

 observation. 



The end to be attained by all this apparatus is worthy 

 of the wondrous skill displayed in its contrivance; for it 



