FOOT OF THE OX. 103 
Keele, Esq., offered Mr. Spooner the thanks of the committee 
for his lectures, in a highly complimentary manner.” 
This is the way to gain our profession that degree of public 
estimation, which, if true to ourselves, its nature and its useful- 
ness will command. We urge not any half-prepared and foolish 
young men presumptuously to obtrude themselves on the public 
notice ; but there are those among us who can vindicate and are 
vindicating our claims, and to them we owe much gratitude, and 
wish all success. 
THE METACARPALS AND PHALANGES OF THE NEAR FORE 
FOOT OF THE OX, WITH THEIR ARTICULATIONS, TENDONS, 
BLOODVESSELS, NERVES, &c. 
By Mr. W. C. Spooner, Southampton . 
In describing the parts below the knee of the ox, it will be 
advisable, according to anatomical custom, to begin with the 
bones. 
The metacarpus , or shank, is formed of a large and a small 
bone. The large metacarpal is, with a few exceptions, similar to 
the corresponding bone in the horse, like which it is round in 
front and at the sides, and flat behind ; but the flat surface is 
more extensive in the ox, the suspensory ligament being much 
wider. The lower part of the bone is also much broader, the 
condyles being double ; consequently, it has six convex surfaces, 
which are received into the six concavities in the two large pas- 
terns. The two lower heads are separated from each other, and 
the intervening space is occupied by ligaments. From this fis- 
sure a wide groove extends upwards to the knee, both anteriorly 
and posteriorly, which gives it the appearance of two bones joined 
together; and, indeed, in the foetus this is actually the case. In 
this groove there is a foramen at its lower part, for the passage 
of a large artery. The small metacarpal hone corresponds in its 
situation with the external metacarpal in the horse, and, like it, 
is attached to the large by an elastic cartilago-ligamentous sub- 
stance, but differs from it in not being above an inch in length. 
We observe a double arrangement in the phalangeal extremi- 
ties. They are consequently eight in number, viz. the two large 
and the two small pasterns, the two navicular , and the two coffin 
