﻿FELIS SPEL^EA. 139 



§ 2. Phalanges, a. First Phalanges. — The first phalange, or phalangiole, of the first 

 digit, or thumb, is very short and of greater width than depth. The proximal articulation 

 (PI. XXI, fig. 6, a) is set obliquely to the dorsal face of the bone, so that the internal 

 descends lower than the external edge. By this arrangement the first can be opposed to the 

 other digits as in the Quadrumana, though the first metacarpal has no movement whatever 

 of revolution. The palmar edge of the articulation is notched (fig. 6, b) to receive the 

 elevation on the same surface of the metacarpal, so that it gives but little hindrance to the 

 action of the flexor muscles. On each side of this are two small eminences for the 

 adductor and abductor medii, the flexor brevis pollicis not being differentiated in the genus 

 Eelis. The extensor longus is attached by an intermediate cartilage to a similar eminence 

 on the dorsal surface, the tendon also passing on to the claw phalange. The distal arti- 

 culation is terminal, and sits evenly on the bone ; it is convex vertically, and slightly so 

 transversely, so that a slight movement of rotation is allowed to the claw phalange ; it is 

 much wider on the palmar than on the dorsal surface : immediately above the palmar 

 edge is a deep depression for the reception of the flexor tuberosity of the claw phalange 

 when the flexor muscles are in action. The small lateral expansion of this articulation 

 prevents the retraction of the claw so completely in this digit as in the others, but as it is 

 raised from the ground it is in no danger of being blunted by accidental contact ; its 

 position also on the inner side would prevent its being in the way of the animal. We 

 have met with four specimens of this bone from Sandford Hill and Bleadon Caves ; they 

 vary in size from that of the ordinary Lion to that of the same proportions as the other 

 large bones we have described. 



The first phalanges of the remaining digits (figs. 7, 8, 9, 1 0) are very similar in their 

 general character ; the shafts being nearly cylindrical and slightly arched, and much 

 smaller than the wide proximal articulations (a) ; the latter are deeply notched on the 

 palmar edge (b) to receive the palmar ridge of the metacarpal. The palmar surface also 

 is furnished with small eminences for the insertion of abductor and adductor muscles 

 and bear on either side two well-marked tuberosities to which are attached the ends of a 

 strong ligament, the infra-phalangiole annular, through which, as through a pulley, pass 

 the tendons of the flexor profundus and the flexor sublimis on their way to the claw 

 phalange : the distal articulation is shaped like a pulley, and extends higher up on the 

 palmar than on the dorsal surface, and bears a depression on the dorsal edge for the 

 tuberosity of the second phalange. 



The first phalange of the third and fourth digits (figs. 8 and 9) resemble each other 

 so closely that it would be impossible to determine to which of these two digits an isolated 

 bone belonged ; that of the second digit is very much the stouter, and slightly the 

 shorter, and is curved outwards, while that of the fifth is very much more slender, and is 

 bent considerably inwards. All are easily distinguished from those of the hind paw by 

 their greater slenderness and by their cylindrical section. The large size of the proximal 

 articulation and the tapering form of the bone in the Bear, and the small size of those in the 



