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MR. J. C. GALTON ON DASYPUS SEXCINCTUS. 519 



inserted into the ulnar side of the base of the proximal phalanx of the index, and to 

 join the sheath of its extensor tendon. 



A muscle, fairly strong and fleshy, arises in the interspace between the metacarpals of 

 the middle and fourth digits, and terminates by a broad tendon on t he dorsum of t lie 

 former digit, joining apparently the extensor tendon or its ■heath. The middle digit has 

 no other corresponding muscle on its radial side. 



These two last-described muscles are the only interossci which, from their intermeta- 

 carpal origin, can be strictly termed, according to human-anatomy language, "(lorsol 



Dr. Macalister, in his description of the arrangement of the intenmei muscles in 



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manus of Dasypus 1 , omits to notice the fact that the fourth digit has an inlcrosseus of 

 very appreciable size, attached, as I have described, to its radial ride. This muscle, more- 

 over, is rendered the more noticeable in that it is crossed almost exactly at a right angle 

 by a muscle of similar size and shape, which takes origin from the ulnar portion of the 

 palm, and passes to the ulnar side of the index. The arrangement of these two muscles 

 may be well expressed by likening them to a capital X, the legs of which are rooted in 



the palm, while the arms are stretched out as though to embrace the index and fourt 

 digits. 



Dr. Macalister, moreover, has not noticed that the muscular fasciculus which he hag 

 correctly described as passing to the radial side of the middle digit, is peculiar in par- 

 taking rather of the character of a dorsal mterosseus, seeing that it has an intermeta- 

 carpal origin, while its fellows would be ranked among the palmar series. 



Meckel describes the interossei as being weak in the " Tatu" 2 . 



Lower Extremity. — The thigh was flexed upon the side of the abdomen, and the leg 

 upon the thigh, in such manner that when the animal was placed upon its back it 

 appeared to lie in an exaggerated, but humanly impossible, "lithotomy position." This 

 posture was preserved by a disposition of fascia similar to that which existed in the 



upper extremity. 



Tensor vagincefemoris. — -A flat, thin, almost triangular, but rather irregularly shaped 

 muscle. It arises from a process which must be regarded as the homologue of the 

 anterior superior spine of the ilium, from the lumbar aponeurosis, external to the trans- 

 verse processes of the lumbar vertebrae; also from the last of the six dorsal bands, and 

 from the first row of scales belonging to the pelvic armature. 



It is gradually lost in thin fascia, which is partly inserted into the lower surface of the 

 third trochanter of the femur, and partly blends with that portion of the gluteus max- 



which is inserted into the ligament passing from the above trochanter to the 



imus 



extremity of the ridge which runs upwards from the outer condyle. It, moreover, 

 partly terminates in the fascia covering the outer aspect of the thigh and leg, in the 

 neighbourhood of the termination of a muscular slip given off by one of the divisions of 

 the biceps. It is overlapped during the whole of its course by the anterior free edge of 



the gluteus maximus. 



Gluteus maximus is a thin and flat muscle of great extent of origin. It arises from 

 that part of the lumbar aponeurosis which is attached to the metapophysis of the last 



1 Loc. cit. p. 318. 



Op. cit. p. 569. 



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