PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS 93 



bush he often swings himself by the arms from bough to 

 bough. Sometimes he suspends himself by one arm, while 

 he uses the other to pluck and eat fruit. This character- 

 istic is transmitted to the young, and is found in the first 

 stages of infancy. The thumb is not truly opposable, but 

 is inclined to close towards the palm of the hand. It is of 

 little use to him. His nails are thick, dark in color, and 

 not quite so flat as those of man. 



The great toe, instead of being in line with the others, 

 projects at an angle from the side of the foot, some- 

 thing after the manner of the human thumb. The foot 

 itself is quite flexible and has great prehensile power. In 

 climbing, and in many other ways, it is used as a hand. 

 The tendons in the sole of the foot are equal in length to 

 the line of the bones, and the digits of the foot can be 

 straightened ; but from the habitual use of them in climb- 

 ing, the ape is predisposed to close the digits, wherefore the 

 foot is naturally inclined to curve into an arch, especially 

 in the line of the first and second digits. 



His habit of walking is peculiar. The greater part of 

 the weight is borne upon the legs. The sole of the foot is 

 placed almost flat on the ground, but the pressure is great- 

 est along the outer edge, in the line of the last digit. This 

 is easily noticed where he walks over plastic ground. In 

 the act of walking he always uses the hands, but he does 

 not place the palms on the ground. He uses the backs of 

 the fingers instead. Sometimes only the first joints or 

 phalanges, resting upon the nails, are placed on the ground. 

 At other times the first and second joints are used. I 

 have seen one specimen that, when walking, employed the 



