Page:A descriptive catalogue of the Warren Anatomical Museum.djvu/141

 from before backwards, the thumb pointing between the heads ; it had no palm, but two backs, and each finger had nails on the two sides. The thumb and index finger were connate. The spinal grooves converged downwards, be- tween which a third leg, symmetrical in structure, but somewhat distorted by pressure, arose on a level with the two normal legs, and was bent upwards, so that the toes pointed towards the back. The foot was compound, and provided with two groups of toes, of three each, one right and the other left, and a single large symmetrical toe arose from the middle of the back of the foot. This toe had* a nail on each side. If this third leg is brought down to a level with the others, the heel is directed to the space be- tween the other two feet, and thus the legs together form a true tripod.

" Skeleton. A general conception of the plan of the skeleton may be formed by supposing two skeletons placed side by side, the arms nearest each other pointing back- wards and palm to palm, and the corresponding legs with the toes turned backwards, and then each skeleton cut in a plane extending from the median line in front outwards to the right in one, and to the left in the other, through the clavicle, glenoid cavity, lengthwise of the arm and hand, so as to separate the inner and palmar surfaces from the dorsal ; also in the same direction through the ribs and acetabulum, lengthwise of the legs, and through the second toe ; this done, the portions of the skeletons nearest each other are to be thrown away, and the remaining ones brought together and fused. This, except with reference to a very few unimportant differences of detail, would give us a correct idea of the state of things in the skeleton here described.

" It will be unnecessary to describe any other parts than those connected with the third limbs, it being borne in rnind that, seen in front, the two crania and vertebral col- umns, the thorax, pelvis, and limbs are formed as usual, except that the parts on the right side of the median line are connected with one head and vertebral column, and that on the left with the other. On the hinder side of the double thorax there is no sternum, except a small portion

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