Vol 



• ^'^'l Leach, The Myology of the Bell'Magpie. 25 



the femur. The two parts pass down as a large muscle, and 

 converge about two-thirds of the way down into a strong tendon. 

 This passes through the oblique " fibro-cartilaginous bridge " 

 above the condyles of the tibia to be inserted on a special tubercle 

 on the tarso-metatarsus. 



113. The extensor longus digitoruni [37] [37a] arises fleshy from 

 the cnemial crest and from a small part of the tibia under the 

 larger part of the last muscle (112). Its fibres pass down on the 

 inner front side of the tibia as a long slender muscle. It gives 

 rise to a strong tendon, which passes under the fibro-cartilaginous 

 loop mentioned under the tibialis anticns (112) and a bony bridge 

 in front of the tarso-metatarsus. It passes down to the trochlese 

 of the basal toe-joints, where it divides into three tendons. So 

 far, Strepera agrees with the American Raven as described by 

 Shufeldt, but it differs considerably from Shufeldt's description 

 of the insertions of the tendons of the toes. Shufeldt says : — 

 " These slips pass respectively over the superior aspects of the 

 second, third, and fourth toes, bifurcating as they do so beyond 

 the basal joints, to be inserted at the base of the distal ones. At 

 the proximal extremity of each series of phalanges the tendons are 

 bound down in the median grooves intended for their passage 

 and guidance by a strong, fibrinous, fascia-like sheath." 



In Strepera I find the arrangement on the medius toe is quite 

 different from that on the index and the annularis toes. Shufeldt 

 describes each as being the same in the American Raven. On 

 the medius toe [^ya] the tendon divides into three, the inner 

 branch runs along the top inner border of the phalanges to be 

 inserted in the fascia at the base of the ungual phalanx. The 

 second division runs only to a fascia ensheathing the proximal 

 end of the second phalanx. The third division almost im- 

 mediately divides into two, the inner of which goes on to be 

 inserted at the proximal end of the third phalanx, the other runs 

 over the outer upper margin of the second and third phalanges 

 to be inserted at the base of the ungual phalanx. The Australian 

 Raven, Gymnorhina, and Cracticus agree. 



On the index toe the tendon bifurcates at about two-thirds of 

 the length of the basal phalanx. The first shp is inserted in the 

 mid-Une into the proximal end of the second phalanx ; the second 

 shp runs on to join a fascia at the proximal end of the third or 

 ungual phalanx. 



The fourth (annularis) toe has five phalanges. The tendon 

 runs past the distal phalanx, and about half-way along the second 

 phalanx it bifurcates. One slip is inserted at the proximal end 

 of the third phalanx, the other slip runs on, bifurcating about 

 the middle of the fourth phalanx into two equal branches, which 

 are inserted on each upper lateral margin of the ungual (fifth) 

 phalanx. There is no insertion on the basal, second, or fourth 

 phalanx. Strepera, the Australian Raven, Gymnorhina, and 

 Cracticus agree in the insertions of these tendons. 



