394 



STERNUM OF THE CORMORANT. 



breadth, and consequently in firmness of resistance ; 

 while, from the manner in which the head of this bone 

 is formed, any strain given upon the more advanced 

 part of it is divided among the coracoids, the scapu- 

 lars, and the keel of the sternum, though the greater 

 part of it goes in the direction of the first of these. 

 They are well adapted, both from their form and the 

 mode of their attachment to the sternum, for resisting 

 the strain of a pressure from the front. The basal 

 parts are very large, and so are the heads, with which 

 the branches of the clavicle are in all cases firmly 

 united, and in some thc}^ are soldered into one 

 continuous bone. 



Profile of Cormorant. 



And there is no waste of strength in the firmness 

 against a pressure from the front which is thus given 

 to the shoulders of these birds ; nor is the advance- 

 ment of the clavicle in front of the shoulder-joint, or 

 the strength which it receives there from its increased 

 curvature and breadth, and its intimate union with 



