﻿24 PLEISTOCENE MAMMALIA. 



backwards, inwards, and downwards, and is, like the corresponding articulation on meta- 

 tarsal 3, supported on a massive posterior process. 



The articulations for metatarsal 5 much resemble those corresponding with them on 

 metatarsal 3, but they are more concave; and the posterior, instead of facing slightly 

 upwards, faces directly outwards, or rather a little downwards. The distal articulation 

 corresponds with that of the lion, except that it is slightly wider in proportion to 

 the depth. 



Metatarsal 5, fig. 5. 



This bone is cylindrical, passing upwards into a triangular section, and downwards into 

 an oval, wider transversely than in a vertical direction. The cuboidal or proximal articu- 

 lation is a small oval surface, inclined to the axis of the bone (a, 5, fig. 5), and slightly 

 concave transversely, and convex in an antero-posterior direction. It is bounded, 

 externally, by a high, strong ridge or crest, which passes from the front, round the 

 outside to the back of the bone, where it terminates just above the posterior articulation 

 for metatarsal 4 (e,f). 



The anterior articulation for metatarsal 4 (fig. 5, c) much resembles the corresponding 

 articulation already described in that bone; but the posterior (fig. 5, d) is a small, 

 irregularly formed surface, the facing of which is generally backwards, inwards, and 

 upwards. The form of the distal articulation corresponds exactly with that of the lion, 

 being flattened internally, and extended laterally in an outward direction, but it shows 

 the same slight difference in the greater transverse diameter. 



This bone in the specimens we have examined is more bent outwards and backwards 

 than in the recent lion and tiger. 



In general, these bones may be easily distinguished, when'perfect, from those of the 

 bear, by the smaller proportional length, as well as by the far greater proportional size of 

 the proximal end of the bone in TJrsus. This gives these bones in the bear a taper shape, 

 quite different to the solid, strong-looking bones of Felis spelesa. Eor the details of 

 difference we refer to our descriptions, measurements, and figures — 



