PELVIS. 



155 



the anterior pelvic outlet, the transverse dia- 

 meter is a little larger than the antero-pos- 



Fig. 94. 



Pelvis of the Lion, side view. 



terior, and the acetabula are large and deep. 

 In the Badger the ilia and ischia are large, 

 expanded, and curved outwards at their free 

 extremities. The iliac shaft is prismatic, with 

 an ilio-lumbar angle of 140. The pubes are 

 rather long, with an elongated symphysis, and 

 form an angle with the ilia of about 130. The 

 same general conformation is evident in the 

 Racoons and Coatis, the ilio-ischial angle being, 

 however, somewhat better marked, and the ilio- 

 pubic about 145. The Coatis have but one 

 sacral vertebra. In the Hyaena, also, the 

 iliac wings are considerably spread, with a 

 very pointed anterior spine. In the Dingo 

 the iachio-pubic element is very short, the 

 anterior outlet and obturator foramina small, 

 but the posterior outlet larger. The Weasel 

 has a very small pelvis, with but two sacral 

 vertebrae, one only articulating with upper 

 extremities of the long iliac shafts. 



In the Pliocce the sacrum has four vertebrae, 

 the first only articulating with ilia, and much 

 wider in its transverse processes than the rest ; 

 the ilia are extremely short, thick, and curved 

 outwards, with very small external fossae ; the 

 ischia are long and slender, with small tuberosi- 

 ties almost touching the second coccygeal ver- 

 tebra, with long rami not forming a symphysis, 

 but directed backward to meet the pubis. The 

 jnibcs are very long, slender, and oblique, with 

 a short symphysis, and including a very large, 

 oval obturator foramen. The pelvis altogether 

 somewhat resembles that of the Badger, with 

 the superior opening much elongated antero- 

 posteriorly, and triangular in shape, with the 

 base at the sacrum. The shortness of the ilia 

 alone indicates the great contraction of the 

 posterior extremities for their swimming re- 

 quirements. Dr. Knox has observed, in a 

 pregnant female Seal, a separation of the 

 symphysis pnbis, and elongation of its liga- 

 ments to the extent of nearly 2 inches, such 

 as Le Gallois has described in the Guinea-pig. 

 He found, moreover, that such a separation 

 of the bones produced much more enlarge- 

 ment of diameters in these elongated trian- 

 gular pelves than in the transverse oval form 

 of the human female. 



In the order of pelvic development, the 

 Pachydermata occupy a very high place, being 

 characterised by great massiveness, propor- 

 tionate shallowness, and perpendicularity of 

 pelvis, and large and overhanging acetabula, 

 the better to support the immense weight of 

 these animals, thrown more on the hinder ex- 

 tremities than in the Carnivora, from their 

 bulky dorsal structures and abdominal vis- 

 cera. The ischial spinous ridges and anterior 

 inferior iliac spines are faintly marked or 

 wanting, the sacral spines are coalesced into a 

 continuous crest, and there is little or no sacral 

 promontory. 



The sacrum of the Elephant (./%. 95.) is 

 comparatively very narrow, flat, and short, 

 and placed on the spine at an angle almost 

 imperceptible ; the number of vertebrae being 

 four only, according to Cuvier. The coccygeal 

 vertebrae are numerous. 



The ilia are short, broad, massy, fan- 

 shaped, and much expanded, with a large 

 concavity or iliac fossa directed forwards 

 and downwards, the dorsum being alter- 

 nately concave and convex. The iliac crest (r) 

 is large and flat-arched, with the anterior su- 

 perior spine (a) hooked suddenly downwards, 

 and the posterior inferior directed backward 

 from the sacro-iliac joint, to afford leverage 

 to the powerful sacro-iliac ligament. There are 

 no well-marked iliac ribs, except the cotylo- 

 sacral (d), which is very strong and massy. 

 The ischia are moderately short, and form an 

 ilio-ischial angle about 145, presenting no 

 spine, and having the tuberosities (e) directed 



Fig. 95. 



Pelvis of the Elephant, front view. 



dorsally, and the rami (/) vertically towards 

 the abdominal surface. The pubcs are short, 

 and directed almost horizontally inwards, with 

 a well-marked ilio-pectineal spine (//). The 

 symphysis (g) is parallel to the vertebrae, 

 and very long, including the whole of the 

 short ischial rami as far as the rough por- 

 tion forming the tuberosity, so that the 

 ischio-pubic symphysis extends as far back- 

 wards as the tuberosities. The sciatic notches 

 are wide and open, but the obturator foramina 

 are smaller than the cotyloid fossa3, which are 

 very large and overhang much at the superior 

 or dorsal part. The planes of the acetabula 



