OKAXG OUTANG. 



19 



The Bones of the Inferior Extremity.— The 

 structure of this part of the Orang Outang, chiefly 

 differs from man in the foot, which is to be consi- 

 dered as a hand united to a leg and ankle. The 

 head of the femur is round, as in man, and the 

 neck terminates below in two distinct trochanters. 

 The patella is bony. The fibula differs little from 

 the human, except that it is less angular ; but the 

 tibia is contorted at about one-third of its length 

 from the ankle. The tarsus consists of seven pieces; 

 which, with the exception of the heel-bone, resem- 

 ble these parts in man. The os calcis is narrower ; 

 the projection forming the heel is less broad ; the 

 whole bone is proportionally longer ; and the groove 

 for receiving the flexor tendons is deeper. Its posi- 

 tion is also different. It lies immediately at the 

 extremity of the fibula ; and being in a line with it, 

 is on the outside of the upper part of the ankle. 



The hand of this limb approaches more nearly to 

 the human hand than that of the superior extremity; 

 but the proportion of the thumb in size and strength, 

 seems rather greater, and the first phalanges of the 

 fingers, especially of the fore-finger, are much bent. 

 The metatarsal bone of the fifth or little finger, 

 projects as in the human foot, beyond the outer 

 edge of the tarsus. 



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