io8 
Recent Literature. 
which is composed of only a pair of coracoids united in the median line, and 
a pair of scapulae placed over the ribs parallel to the back bone and at right 
angles to the coracoids. No sternum, so characteristic of birds, and no 
clavicles were present. The “ clavicles ” of Professor Owen are considered 
by Professor Vogt to be the pubes anchylosed as in the Ostrich. The arm 
is as one would expect till we come to the carpus, where only the radio- 
carpal is developed ; the metacarpals were free and three in number. They 
bore fingers of 2, 3, and 3 phalanges respectively, the distal phalanx in 
each case incased by a claw. In describing the manus of birds Professor 
Vogt makes the following statement. “In the latter [birds] the pollex 
— sometimes wanting, as in Eudyptes — is placed at the base of the meta- 
carpus and directly on the carpus ; its single segment sometimes bears a 
spur or a nail ; the metacarpus is formed by two bones that coalesce at 
their extremities, but sometimes still separate, as in Eudyptes. This char- 
acteristic metacarpus bears two digits — one, the longest, with two pha- 
langes ; the other, often rudimentary, with one phalanx.”* Now on 
studying the manus of an embryo chick any one will at once see its 
strong resemblance to Vogt’s figure of the manus in the Arckceopteryx. 
The only differences are in the proportions of the parts, the number of the 
phalanges in the III digit and the remains of the IV metacarpus in the 
chick. 
In considering* the genetic relations of the Archceopte ryx Professor Vogt 
says that it “ doubtless forms a bond of union between Reptiles and Odon- 
tornithesA but that the development of the wing prevents the origin of 
flying birds from the Dinosaurs. Yet he seems to consider the Apteryges 
and Struthiones to be derived from the Dinosaurs, not modified from 
flying birds. These conclusions Professor Vogt sums up in the following 
words. “A second consequence of this view would be the polyphytetic 
origin of the class of birds. The Dinosaurs would lead to the Ratitce , 
the Arckceopteryx to the birds that fly.”f Allowing this view to be true, 
it would be very difficult to explain the strange likeness in the structure 
of the wing of the Ostriches and flying birds. The flying birds have the 
arm and wrist joints so articulated as to allow adduction and abduction, 
not flexion and extension, of the fingers, and in accordance with this the 
morphological flexor and extensor muscles are brought round to the radial 
edge of the index. The same is true of the muscles in the Apteryges 
and Struthiones judging from the works of Owen, Schoepss, Riidinger and 
* Vogt, 1. c. p. 244, and p. 444 of “ Ibis,” from which the text is taken. The original is as 
follows : m 
“ La main de l’Archaeopteryx ne se laisse pas comparer k celle d’un Oiseau. Chez 
ceux-ci, le pouce, faisant quelquefois defaut, comme chez l’Eudyte, est place k la base 
du metacarpe et immediatement sur le carpe ; son seul segment porte quelquefois un 
eperon ou un ongle ; le metacarpe est forme de deux os soudes aux deux extrem- 
ites, quelquefois. encore separes, comme chez l’Eudyte ; ce .metacarpe characteristique 
porte deux doigts : un, plus allonge, k deux phalanges ; un autre, souvent rudimentaire, 
a une phalange.” 
f Vogt, 1. c., p. 247. 
