Osteological Symmetry of the Camel. 529 



and perhaps the defective ossification on the right side of the 

 3rd and 4th over the nerval canal, show the tendency to exert 

 the muscles of the right side more than those of the left. 



Dorsal Vertebrce. 



The labours of the animal have much altered the form of the 

 bodies of the dorsal vertebrae. 



The sternal length from the 3rd to the 10th inclusively 

 appears to be the sixth part of the basilar length of the head. 

 In this dimension, the sternal length, the 1st dorsal vertebra 

 corresponds with the 11th ; as does the 2nd with the 12th. 



The greatest elevation of the spine is at the 3rd dorsal ver- 

 tebra ; the extreme length of that bone equalling the greatest 

 extent of the pelvis towards the mesial plane. 



The spinal lengths, rostrad and caudad from the 3rd dorsal 

 vertebra, diminish irregularly ; but so that the spinal length of 

 the 7th dorsal vertebra is the same as that of the 1st. 



The spinal length of the ]2th and last dorsal vertebra is equal 

 to the length of the 1st rib, and to the greatest breadth of the 

 head. 



The spinal epiphyses that form the nucleus of the hump, are 

 nearly steatomatous in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th dorsal ver- 

 tebrae ; as also in the 9th and 10th. In the other dorsal verte- 

 brae the epiphyses are externally osseous. 



From the 1st dorsal vertebra to the 10th, the distance between 

 the margins of the roots of the spinous processes diminishes a 

 third. In the same interval, the distance between the extremi- 

 ties of the transverse processes diminishes a fourth. 



The natural breadth of the bodies of the dorsal vertebrae seems 

 to be not greater than the wideness of the nostrils : but, owing 

 to the great weights borne by the animal, the enlargement is 

 such that these bones are an instance of exostosis rather than 



3 Y 2 of 



