18 



MR. F. E. BEDDARU ON THE 



[Jan. 6, 



itself and the neighbouring flexor ; its tendon runs at first beside 

 and then above that of the extensor communis and is attached to the 

 metatarsus as usual. 



( 1 3) The Extensor communis digitorum arises from the crest of 

 the tibia and for about two inches of inner half of outer face of the 

 shaft. 



(14) Flexor hallucis longns. — This muscle arises from the femur 

 by tendon, and from the fascia covering the flexor superficialis near to 

 its origin. Its tendon is connected with that of the flexor profundus 

 digitorum by a vinculum as in the majority of birds. The arrange- 

 ment belongs to the first type described by Garrod [19], which 

 characterizes Gallus and a large number of other birds ; the vin- 



Fig. 4. 



Connection between tendons of deep Flexors in Ehinochettis (a) and Scopus (6). 



culum is of some breadth, and it is attached to the tendon of the 

 flexor communis before the bifurcation of the latter. I find that 

 my description of this tendon in Scopus umh-etta does not apply to 

 every individual. I there [14] described ' a vinculum as being com- 

 posed of two fibrous bands — one attached before the trifurcation 

 of the tendon of the flexor profundus, the other attached to the 

 branch of this tendon supplying the ivth digit. A dissection of a 

 specimen which died in the Society's Gardens a day or two since 

 shows that in both feet the vinculum is a single structure, which is 

 attached to the branch of the tendon of the flexor profundus 

 supplying digit iv., and not to the tendon before its trifurcation. 



In the strength of the vinculum Rhimchetus is unlike most of 

 the Ardeidse, in which family there is a tendency for it to disappear. 

 I have found this vinculum absent in a specimen of Nycticorax 

 griseus ; but in this case the vinculum was functionally replaced by 

 a portion of one of the short flexor muscles, which, as in Rhea (c/. 



' A SIS. note in the handwriting of Mr. Forbes with a sketch shows that mj 

 description of the two vincula in Scopus was probably correct. It is important 

 to notice the variation. 



