Structure and Oiconomy of Whales, 385 
The two fins are analogous to the anterior extremities of the 
quadruped, and are alfo fomewhat fimilar in conftruflion. A 
fin is compofed of a fcapula, os humeri, ulna, radius, carpus, 
and metacarpus, in which laft may be included the fingers, 
becaufe the number of bones are thofe which might be called 
fingers, although they are not feparated, but included in one 
general covering with the metacarpus. They have nothing 
analogous to the thumb, and the number of bones in each is 
different; in the fore-finger there are five bones, in the middle 
and ring-finger feven, and in the little finger four. The arti- 
culation of the carpus, metacarpus, and fingers, is different 
from that of the quadruped, not being by capfular ligament, 
but by intermediate cartilages connected to each bone. Thefe 
cartilages between the different bones of the fingers are of con- 
fiderable length, being nearly equal to one-half of that of the 
bone; and this conftru&ion of the parts gives firmnefs, with 
fome degree of pliability, to the whole. 
As this order of animals cannot be faid to have a pelvis, 
they of courfe have no os facrum, and therefore the vertebrae 
are continued on to the end of the tail ; but with no diflin&ion 
between thofe of the loins and tail. But as thofe vertebrae 
alone would not have had fufficient furface to give rife to the 
mufcles requifite to the motion of the tail, there are bones 
added to the fore-part of fome of the firft vertebrae of the tail, 
fimilar to the fpinal proceffes on the pofferior furface. 
From ail thefe obfervations we may infer, that the ftruflure, 
formation, arrangement, and the union of the bones, which 
compofe the forms of parts in this order of animals, are much 
upon the fame principle as in quadrupeds. 
The flefh or mufcles of this order of animals is red, refem- 
bling that of moft quadrupeds, perhaps more like that of the 
I i i 2 •. Bull 
