In a gibbon’s great toe I observed an abductor, a short bicipital
flexor, and a slightly developed opponens, to which a wide fan-shaped
adductor is attached. The first dorsal inter-osseous muscle is, as in
the same animal’s hand (Fig. 53), attached to the first phalanx of the
second toe. The flexor longus digitorum provides the third and fourth
toes with perforating tendons, and also gives off a tendon for the
great toe. On the little toe there is a remarkably slender perforating
tendon. While the first of the two long flexors represents the human
flexor longus pollicis, the flexor longus digitorum is in this instance
limited to the little toe. In the gibbon, as well as in the orang, the
gorilla, and the chimpanzee, the two muscles are connected together
by an aponeurosis. It may be here mentioned that in the human foot
the flexor longus pollicis occasionally gives off a flexor for the
second and even for the third toes. In the gibbon, as Bischoff justly
observes, a muscle covers the flexor longus digitorum, which is still
undivided, but already enlarged. From this muscle perforated tendons
issue for the third and fourth toes. The second toe is provided with
such a tendon from the flexor brevis digitorum. The muscle we have
mentioned seems to represent the Quadratus plantæ, which is often
developed in the other anthropoids, although only to a slight extent.
With respect to the muscles of the small toe of the orang and gibbon,
I need only say that in the latter species the opponens seems to be
absent (Fig. 55).
It will be seen from the foregoing account that, in spite of several
apparently important peculiarities, in spite of great and manifold
variations which are established, even although our authorities do
not always agree together, the muscular system of anthropoids is on
the whole very like that of man. It displays, especially in the lower
limbs, peculiarities of structure which render them capable of walking
in an upright position, and others again which they have in common with
the lower animals, but on the whole the anthropoid characteristics of
the muscular system of these animals are predominant.
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