278 PROFESSOR OWEN ON THE EXTERNAL CHARACTERS 



4. "The anterior hands large ; the palm, especially, being as broad as long (almost 

 exactly of the Human proportion) ; the fingers short, relatively to those of Man and the 

 Chimpanzee'." 



If the upper hands in the Gorilla and Chimpanzee are compared, as they are shown 

 by the bony framework, they plainly, in the proportion of the thumb and the curvature 

 and flattening of the proximal and middle digital phalanges, exhibit the same generic 

 type ; and the difference in regard to the breadth of the metacarpus is seen to relate 

 to the greater strength of the larger species, and to be of no higher than specific value. 

 I find, in the recent hands, that the digital clefts of the integument are checked in both 

 at about the same relative distance from the bases of the proximal phalanges ; the 

 seeming shortness of the free part of the Gorilla's fingers is due to their greater thick- 

 ness (PI. XLVII. figs. 2 & 3). As to the digits ii. iii. iv. v. being really shorter than 

 in Man, either absolutely or relatively to the bieadth of the base of their metacarpus, 

 I refer to my Seventh Memoir, plate 10. The ungual phalanges are relatively shorter ; 

 but the other phalanges are longer, as well as broader. In the degree in which the 

 Chimpanzee shows a greater relative length of the digits, it manifests its specific 

 distinction, and its further departure from the Human proportions of the hand. 



5. " The posterior hands elongate : the three intermediate toes (in the male) united by 

 the teguments as far as the second phalanx^." 



In the degree in which the Gorilla appears more " syndactylous " than does the Chim- 

 panzee, with respect to the three middle toes, I cannot discern more than a specific 

 difference, if even it be of that value. The female Gorilla agrees with the male in the 

 structure of the foot. Both the Gorilla and Chimpanzee show their generic relationship 

 in the proportions of the hallux (PI. XLVII. figs. 4 & 5, i) : in this respect they differ 

 generically from the Orang-utans, as in the direction, relative position, and functions of 

 the hallux they alike differ ordinarily from Man. 



6. The sixth character'* seems to have been admitted inadvertently among those which 

 are given as proving the generic distinction of the Gorilla from the Chimpanzee. I will 

 only observe that the nails of both fingers and toes are thicker, shorter, narrower, and 

 more convex in both kinds of Ape than in the Human species : those of the Gorilla are 

 shown in the above-cited figures from photographs of the animal preserved in spirits. 



Isidore Geoffrey's last generic character is derived from the dentition. 



7. " The canines enormous ; the incisors ranged in almost a straight line. The three 

 lower molars elongated from before backwards, and with a ' talon.""' 



' "4. Mains anterieures targes : lapaume en particulier presque aussi large que loiigue (dc proportion presque 

 exactement humaine) ; les doigts courts (relativeraent aceux de rHommeetdu Chimpanzee)" (ib., op. cit. p. 38). 



' "5. Mains post^rieures allonge'es ; les trois doigts interm^diaires (chez le miile) re'unis par les teguments 

 jusQu'a la seconde phalange " (ib. op. cit. p. 38). 



" 6 Ongles des quatre mains tres-aplatis(conime chez 1' Homme et le Chimpanz^)." 



* "7. Les canines ^normes ; les incisives rangees presque en ligne droite. Les trois mdchelieres infirievres 

 allongces d'avant en arriere, et a talon " (ib., op. cit. p. 38). The italics throughout these quotations are as 

 in the original. 



