90 
pliny's natural history. 
[Book XI. 
one-horned and cloven-footed. The Indian ass*^ is the 
only solid-hoofed animal that has pastern-bones. As to 
swine, they are looked upon as a sort of mongrel race, with a , 
mixture of both kinds, and hence it is that their ankle-bones 
are so misshapen. Those authors who have imagined that 
man has similar pastern-bones, are easily to be confuted. The 
lynx is the only one among the animals that have the feet 
divided into toes, that has anything bearing a resemblance 
to a pastern-bone ; while with the lion it is more crooked 
still. The great pastern-bone is straight, and situate in the 
joints of the foot; it projects outwards in a convex protube- 
rance, and is held fast in its vertebration b}" certain liga- 
ments. 
CHAP. 107. (47.) THE PEET OP BIPDS. 
Among birds, some have the feet divided into toes, Avhile 
others, again, are broad and flatfooted — in others, which par- 
take of the intermediate nature of both, the toes are divided, 
with a wide space between them. All birds, however, have 
four toes — three in front, and one on the heel ; this last, how- 
ever, is wanting in some that have long legs. The iynx^'' is 
the only bird that has two toes on each side of the leg. This 
bird also protrudes a long tongue similar to that of the serpent, 
and it can turn the neck quite round and look backwards ; it 
has great talons, too, like those of the jackdaw. Some of the 
heavier birds have spurs also upon the legs ; but none of 
those have them which have crooked talons as well. The 
long-footed birds, as they fly, extend the legs towards the tail, 
while those that have short legs hold them contracted close to • 
the middle of the body. Those authors who deny that there 
is any bird without feet, assert that those even which are 
called apodes,^^ are not without them, as also the oce, and the 
drepanis,^^ which last is a bird but very rarely seen. Ser- 
pents, too, have been seen with feet like those of the goose. 
'^'^ The rhinoceros. 
Or wryneck. See B. x. c. 5. 
^ Supposed to be the Hirundo apiisof Linnfeus. Of the ''oce" nothing 
is known ; indeed, the reading is very doubtful. 
