OF LIVING ELEPHANTS. 189 



The 'pisiform bone is long, not broad, concave on the posterior edge, 

 a little enlarged at the two ends ; it has at its base a triangular surface 

 for the cuneiform bone, and a small oblong surface for the ulna. 



The trapezium is nearly as long as it is broad, and passes the re- 

 mainder of the second range by two-thirds of its length downwards; it 

 has, above, a semicircular surface for the scaphoid, on the inside an 

 almost square surface for the trapezoid, and a small semicircular surface 

 for the metatarsus of the index. 



Tlie trapezoid is nearly square anteriorly, however a little more 

 broad than high, and a little higher towards the external edge ; its 

 upper and lower surfaces are in the form of an oblique triangle ; and 

 both sHghtly convex, and they touch entirely, the one the scaphoid, 

 the other the metatarsal bone of the index ; its trapezian connexion 

 includes all the external surface ; that which touches the os magnum 

 occupies but a part of the internal surface, and is rounded : this bone 

 terminates in a point behind. 



The OS magnum is nearly square anteriorly, but a little irregular : 

 posteriorly it is truncated, and only a little narrower than anteriorly, 

 so that its superior and inferior surfaces are trapezoids ; the posterior 

 internal angle projects a little obliquely ; the upper surface is slightly 

 convex : the inferior nearly full, with a vestige of a ridge anteriorly ; 

 the surface for the trapezoid extends all along the superior internal 

 edge, but is much broader anteriorly ; that for the cuneiform bone is of 

 the- same length, but it becomes broad, at the two ends. 



Above, the os magnum is entirely in contact with the semilunar ; 

 the posterior internal angle alone is articulated with the scaphoid ; 

 below, it corresponds to the metacarpal bone of the digitus medius, 

 and by the internal edge, which is a little raised, it corresponds to 

 that of the index. 



The unciform bone anteriorly has the form of the trapezium, more 

 broad than high, and contracting towards the external side ; the lower 

 edge is a little fissured for a projection of the metacarpal bone of the 

 digitus annularis ; its posterior surface is triangular, more high than 

 broad : its superior surface is convex, descending and terminating in a 

 point at the outer extremity ; it corresponds entirely to the cuneiform, 

 bone ; the inferior surface is divided into two parts, an internal convex 

 for the metacarpal bone of the fourth toe, and one, a little concave, 

 ascending outwards for that of the little toe ; the articular surface cor- 

 responds in figure with that of the os magnum, which it touches. 



7. — -Bones of the Tarsus. 

 The astragalus of the elephant {pi. 1,fig. 2, I, and pi. 8, fig. 6 and 

 7, a) is very easily distinguished from every other, particularly from 

 those which approach it in size ; its pully is very flat, and this resem- 

 blance with man will also have sometimes contributed to make the 

 bones of elephants be taken for giants' bones, even by professed 

 anatomists ; but this pully is rhomboidal, a little broader anteriorly to- 

 wards the exterior ; the anterior part of its edge is curved a little back, 

 by being rounded in order to correspond with the internal malleolus, 

 "which projects a little; the rest of the internal surface is enlarged into 

 a considerable tubercle towards the external aspect ; the two posterior 



VOL, r, T 



