616 SHUFELDT—OSTEOLOGY OF THE WOODPECKERS. [Oct 5, 
anterior toe 3.6 cms. The fibula rarely exceeds 3 cms. in 
length. 
Besides the rather small patella, there are found one or more 
minute sesamoids in the tendons of the muscles that attach to the 
lower end of the femur, especially in that tendon which inserts 
itself between the femoral condyles (flexor longus hallucis). In 
it one appears to be constant. 
Always pneumatic, the femur is characterized by a large air- 
hole situated at the usual site, when it occurs in this bone in 
Aves. A very shallow excavation for the ligamentum teres is 
found upon the femoral head, and the trochanter is not elevated 
above the articular surface at the summit of the shaft. This 
latter is nearly straight, subcylindrical on midsection, and is 
scarred by the usual muscular lines. As to the condyles, they are 
not large, and they offer us only the usual ornithic characters ; 
the external one, being the lower, is grooved behind for the head 
of the fibula and has a small pit-like depression immediately 
above it. The popliteal fossa is shallow, as is also the rotular 
channel in front. 
Tibio-tarsus possesses a large head, which is compressed an- 
tero-posteriorly, spread transversely, and is further characterized 
by having the cnemial crest well raised above the summit of the 
bone, while both pro- and ectocnemial processes are quite 
aborted or very nearly so. From end to end the shaft is slightly 
bowed outward or toward the fibula side. A line down its 
front is, however, practically straight. What appears to repre- 
sent the ‘‘procnemial ridge” is here a thin crest passing down 
the upper half of the shaft upon its inner aspect. Directly upon 
the opposite side of the bone is seen the “ fibular ridge,’’ which 
is low proximally, and gradually increases in height to its ter- 
mination below. This form of the ridge has the effect of keep- 
ing the distal end of the somewhat feeble fibula well away from 
the tibic-tarsal shaft. And it is about opposite the midpoint of this 
latter that we see the free pointed end of the fibula as it is held 
in that position. 
Returning to the tibio-tarsus, we have still to observe that the 
usual osseous bridgelet crosses the tendinal canal at the antero- 
distal aspect, and that a tubercle is found above it upon either 
side, the outer one being the lower upon the shaft. The con- 
dyles are large, nearly of equal size, directly opposite each other 
an 
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