EXTERNAL CHAEACTEES 307 



being about two and a half inches apart and an inch 

 behind the elbow, and the hindmost pair opposite the 

 thighs and rather more than an inch apart.] 



C. The Limbs. 



1, The fore-limbs, as far as the elbows, are closely applied 

 to the sides of the thorax, and hidden by the skin of 

 the trunk. The several bones of the shoulder-girdle 

 and limb, which have already been studied on the 

 skeleton, can be readily identified by feeling them 

 through the skin. The palmar surface of the paw 

 is hairy: the innermost digit or pollex is shorter 

 than the others, not reaching the ground. All the 

 digits bear claws. 



■2. The hind-limbs are much longer than the fore-limbs. 

 The pelvic girdle and the several bones of the limb 

 can be felt through the skin. In the foot the inner- 

 most digit or hallux is absent, and the remaining 

 four are long and clawed. The plantar surface or 

 sole of the foot is hairy. 



II. DISSECTION OF THE BUCCAL CAVITY. 



Remove the skin from the head and neck, hay the rabbit 

 en its right side : insert one blade of the scissors into its mouth, 

 and cut back through the cheek on the left side between the 

 upper and lower teeth : continue the cut backwa/rds across the 

 jaw with bone forceps and scissors : turn the left ramus of the 

 lower jaw down, breaking the two rami loose at the symphysis, 

 ■SO as to expose the buccal cavity fully ; and wash freely. 



1. The roof of the mouth. 



a. The palate, or median part of the roof, is long and 

 narrow, and separates the buccal from the nasal 

 cavity. Its anterior half, the hard palate, is 

 raised into hard, transverse ridges, against 

 which the tongue works : the posterior half, or 

 the soft palate, is smooth and soft, and ends 

 behind in a free notched border, nearly opposite 

 the angle of the jaw. 



X 2 



