ON THE BONES OF THE HIPPOPOTAMUS. 401 



4. The Bones of the Carpus. 



The Schuphoid Bone. — The fossil is the highest in proportion ; its 

 articulation with the radius is distinguished by a more finished edge 

 from the upper semilunarian : the trapezoidian facette is broader, taken 

 transversely ; that which answers to the os magnum is narrower and 

 much more pointed at the back, so as to present a sharp isosceles 

 triangle, while in the living it is an irregular rhomboid ; these two fa- 

 cettes are likewise separated by a more decided edge. 



I have the schaphoid bones of the carpus of both sides ; they are 

 both very strongly impressed with these characters. 



From the proportion they bear in size to those of the living animal, 

 they must have belonged to animals fourteen feet long. 



The Semilunar Bone. — I have seen and taken a drawing of one of the 

 left side, in the Museum of the Academy of the Valley of the Arno at 

 Figlini ; it might have belonged to an animal about fourteen feet 

 in length. Its upper or radial surface was evidently broader and less 

 oblique ; the anterior was higher than the side next the schaphoid ; 

 the inferior cuneiformian facette was higher, and the posterior surface 

 broader above than is observed in the analagous bones of the living 

 hippopotamus. 



The Os Cuneiforme (plate 36, fig. 17\ — The fossil is higher in pro- 

 portion ; its cubital facette is not so broad, and is more concave ; the 

 semilunarian, and that for the os pisiforme, are also much narrower. I 

 have those of both sides in a high state of preservation ; the largest 

 announces an individual seventeen feet in length. 



The Os Magnum (plate 36, fig. 15). — This fossil differs sensibly from 

 that of the living animal : it is higher in proportion. The schaphoid 

 facette there, is pointed at the back : in the living subject it is broad, 

 and loses itself insensibly ; the edge separating it from the semiluna- 

 rian facette is much farther back in the fossil ; the semilunarian facette 

 is there larger, and is concave behind ; the facette for the unciform is 

 there very concave ; the posterior tuberosity enlarges and advances 

 outwards, in the form of a crotchet ; the facette next the inferior tra- 

 pezoid becomes prolonged and enlarged towards the back, as it were 

 in the shape of a small additional facette, of which there is no trace in 

 the living animal ; the metatarsal facette is broader towards the rear. 



I have had the fossil ossa magna of both sides : the largest must have 

 proceeded from an animal fifteen feet nine inches in length. 



The Os Unciforme plate (36, fig. 11). — That of the fossil differs but 

 slightly from that of the living animal. Its posterior tuberosity is 

 shorter, thicker, and less bent outwards. 



The internal edge of the semilunarian facette advances farther in- 

 wards. 



The facette sustaining the fourth metatarsian is broader, and unites 

 itself on a longer space to that of the third ; the edge of their junction 

 is more prominent behind. 



I have only had this bone once : it belonged to an animal about 

 seventeen feet in height. 



