r less developed organ, free at its extremity, and
articulating with the head or sides of a metacarpal, metatarsal, or
phalangeal bone.

(3) A fully developed separate digit.

(4) A digit intimately united along its whole length with another
digit, and having either an additional metacarpal or metatarsal bone of
its own, or articulating with the head of one which is common to it and
another digit.

Superstitions relative to supernumerary fingers have long been
prevalent. In the days of the ancient Chaldeans it was for those of
royal birth especially that divinations relative to extra digits were
cast. Among the ancients we also occasionally see illustrations
emblematic of wisdom in an individual with many fingers, or rather
double hands, on each arm.

Hutchinson, in his comments on a short-limbed, polydactylous dwarf
which was dissected by Ruysch, the celebrated Amsterdam anatomist,
writes as follows.--

"This quaint figure is copied from Theodore Kerckring's 'Spicilegium
Anatomicum,' published in Amsterdam in 1670. The description states
that the body was that of an infant found drowned in the river on
October 16, 1668. It was dissected by the renowned Ruysch. A detailed
description of the skeleton is given. My reason for now reproducing
the plate is that it offers an important item of evidence in reference
to the development of short-limbed dwarfs. Although we must not place
too much reliance on the accuracy of the draughtsman, since he has
figured some superfluous lumbar vertebrae, yet there can be no doubt
that the limbs are much too short for the trunk and head. This remark
especially applies to the lower limbs and pelvis. These are exactly
like those of the Norwich dwarf and of the skeleton in the Heidelberg
Museum which I described in a recent number of the 'Archives.' The
point of extreme interest in the present case is that this dwarfing of
the limbs is associated with polydactylism. Both the hands have seven
digits. The right foot has eight and the left nine. The conditions are
not exactly symmetrical, since in some instances a metacarpal or
metatarsal bone is wanting; or, to put it otherwise, two are welded
together. It will be seen that the upper extremities are so short that
the tips of the digits will only just touch the iliac crests.

"This occurrence of short limbs with polydactylism seems to prove
conclusively that the condition may be due to a modification of
development of a totally differen