The Descent of Man

unneus is formed of eleven vertebrae, including
the imbedded basal ones. The extremity is
tendinous and contains no vertebrae; this is
succeeded by five rudimentary ones, so minute
that together they are only one line and a half
in length, and these are permanently bent to
one side in the shape of a hook. The free part of
the tail, only a little above an inch in length,
includes only four more small vertebrae. This
short tail is carried erect; but about a quarter of
its total length is doubled on to itself to the left;
and this terminal part, which includes the
hook-like portion, serves "to fill up the interspace
between the upper divergent portion of
the callosities;" so that the animal sits on it, and
thus renders it rough and callous. Dr. Anderson
thus sums up his observations: "These facts
seem to me to have only one explanation; this
tail, from its short size, is in the monkey's way
when it sits down, and frequently becomes placed
under the animal while it is in this attitude;
and from the circumstance that it does not ex-