THE EVOLUTION OF THE HUMAN FOOT. 535 



it follows that the upper part of its calcaneum is turned outward aud 

 the trochlear surface of its astrag-alus is likew^ise oblique and looks 

 outward; it also results from this that its calcaneum is flattened and 

 provided with a long lesser process set near the g-round; these occa- 

 sion further modifications in the tibia, as we have just seen, and even 

 in the femur. 



The foot of man, on the contrary, is placed at right angles to the 

 axis of the limb — it is arched, its articulations are almost immovable, 

 its first toe is closely attached to the others, all these arrangements 

 tending to give the organ the solidity and flexibilit}^ required for 

 biped locomotion. To these general features are added others of a 

 special character, the principal of which are: The shifting of the cal- 

 caneum and the trochlear surface of the astragalus into the anatomical 

 axis of the foot, and the torsion of the tibia above mentioned; the 

 first feature relates to the arboreal adaptation, the second is the result 

 of a gradual improvement with reference to biped and plantigrade 

 locomotion. The stages intermediate to these two conditions, which 

 we find so clearly marked in the foot of the inferior races of men, 

 prove incontostably that our foot is derived from an arboreal foot 

 analogous to that of the monkej^s of to-day, our i-emote cousins, 

 wdiich has left its traces' in our species. 



Our convictions in this regard are confirmed when we see that the 

 foot of new-born infants of our race reproduces the features of that 

 of men of the inferior races, often assimilating even nearer than that 

 to the arboreal, simian foot, especially to that of the gorilla, which 

 appears to be decidedly the most nearly related to the human foot. 

 The course of ontogen}^ here again reproduces that of phylogen}^; 

 comparative anatomy and embryology once more agree. 



In this investigation one chapter is 3"et wanting or, rather, may seem 

 to you insufficiently developed — that is to say, one in which there would 

 be investigated the feet of men belonging to the prehistoric races. 

 M. Volkov has not 3"et been able to undertake this investigation, but 

 it is probable that the results he may obtain by it will merely confirm 

 those alread}' secured; we have a right to .suppose this, especially 

 since M. Testut has found in the man of Chancelade a separated great 

 toe like that of the lower human races of to-day and almost as marked 

 as among the anthropoids. 



'^rhe arguments derived from evei-y Hik^ of research would th(Mi be 

 in su])stantial agreement. 



Toward what does the foot of man at the present da}^ tend^ Does- 

 its arch tend to increase and its constituent parts to more firml}^ coal- 

 esce ^ The (piestion is a difficult one; it seems, however, that in our 

 race, particularly among the females of our own countr}^ the foot has 

 attained the maximum of perfection for the functions required of it. 



SM 1903 35 



