. Animal physiology. Physiology, Comparative. SKELETON OF BIRDS. 507 fittaclied the muscles that raise the wiiigs, is very narrow in Birds, in accordance with their small demand for muscular power ill this direction. This narrow scapula forms one part of what is known as the " side-bone;" the other part c of which is formed by a bone termed the coracoid^ that is only represented in Man and other Mammals by the short coracoid process of the scapula (§ 635). The two clavi- cles//are united together where they join the ster- num, to form the fork- like bone known as the " merry - t
. Animal physiology. Physiology, Comparative. SKELETON OF BIRDS. 507 fittaclied the muscles that raise the wiiigs, is very narrow in Birds, in accordance with their small demand for muscular power ill this direction. This narrow scapula forms one part of what is known as the " side-bone;" the other part c of which is formed by a bone termed the coracoid^ that is only represented in Man and other Mammals by the short coracoid process of the scapula (§ 635). The two clavi- cles//are united together where they join the ster- num, to form the fork- like bone known as the " merry - thought," the strength of which, like the projection of the keel of the sternum, serves to indicate the power of flight, by the degree of resistance which it is ca- pable of affording to the drawing-together of the. -Bones of the Shoulder and Breast ov Birds. 0, scapula; c, coracoid bone; /, clavicles united at their junction with the summit of the keeT b of the sternum s, which is connected with the ribs by the ossified costal cartilages co. shoulder-joints by the action of the pectoral muscles. The bones of the pinion consist of the humerus (fig. 24-9, h), the two bones of the fore-arm o, the bones of tlic; wrist ca (which are here scarcely developed), and the bones of the fingers ph^ each joint of which shows indications of being made up of two or three separate bones united together. In no bird are thes(^ bones ever separated into distinct fingers, since they are never required for any other purpose than that of supporting tlit; wing-feathers.—The leg is connected with the spinal column by a pelvis, of which the iliac bones are greatly lengthened and firmly attached to the spine, but which is not completed into a ring by the junction of the bones in front, as in Mam- mals ; such a completion would have prevented the passage of the bulky eggs deposited by these animals (§ 755). ]n the hinder extremity we find i\\ii femur or thigh-bone (principally concealed in the fi
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Keywords: ., bookauthorcarpente, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, bookyear1859
