My dear M^r. Darwin

Thank you for sending the pig’s foot (a left fore foot)¹   It will make a valuable addition to our series of similar specimens, as it differs somewhat from any we possess. The four usual digits are quite normal, and on the inner side is situated another, quite complete, and with a complete and distinct carpal bone (trapezium) not usually present. Unfortunately the foot was cut off between the first and the second rows of carpal bones, so that we can not tell what the condition of the former was.

The additional digit differs however from the one which it seems to represent in ordinary 5 toed mammals in being larger, instead of smaller than the one next to it (or the second of the normal series) and of course it would be quite open to anyone to say that it really represented the normal inner or second toe of the pig, and that a supernumerary had been interposed between it and the third. It looks however, as if the former supposition was the correct one, though on the reversionary hypothesis it would have been more satisfactory, if it had been a rudimentary rather than an over well developed digit.² The interest of the case will be much increased if it can be ascertained whether—

(1). the other fore-foot was similarly malformed—

(2) whether the hind feet were affected— & (3) whether it was a family or only an individual peculiarity.

At all events I am very glad of the specimen, for we can not have too large a series

Believe me | Yours very truly | W. H. Flower