88 ANATOMY OF VERTEBRATES. 



begin to be grouped into distinct fasciculi at the base of the neck : 

 the first of these bundles joins a fasciculus of the longissimus dorsi, 

 which is inserted into the anapophysis of the thirteenth cervical 

 vertebra; the succeeding fasciculi derive their origins from a 

 broad and strong aponeurotic sheet attached to the spines of the 

 fourth, third and second dorsal vertebra? : the second to the 

 eighth fasciculi inclusive are compressed, broad, and fleshy, and 

 are inserted in the strong round tendons described in the pre- 

 ceding muscle, and attached to the zygapophyses of the twelfth to 

 the sixth cervical vertebra^ inclusive : the ninth fasciculus, which 

 forms the main anterior continuation of the longus colli ijosticus^ 

 is larger than the rest, and receives, as it advances, accessory 

 fibres from the spinous processes of the seventh to the third 

 cervical vertebras inclusive, and is inserted, partly fleshy, partly 

 by a strong tendon, into the side of the broad spine of the vertebra 

 dentata, A slender fasciculus is detached from the mesial and 

 dorsal margin of the longus colli j^osticus, near the base of the 

 neck, which soon terminates in a long round tendon, fig. 35, a&: 

 this tendon is braced down by short aponeurotic fibres to the spine 

 of the fifth, fourth, third and second cervical vertebras inclusive, 

 immediately beyond which it again becomes fleshy, and expands 

 to be inserted into the occipital ridge : this portion is the digas- 

 trique or hiventer capitis of Cuvier, ib. c, 6, 



In Raptores the carneous exceeds the tendinous part of this 

 muscle. The displacement of the dorsal portion of the preceding 

 muscle and the longissimus dorsi brings into view the sjnnalis 

 dor si, which is a well-developed and distinct muscle in the 

 Apteryx. It arises by two long, narrow, flattened tendons from 

 the spines of the eighth and seventh dorsal vertebra : these pass 

 obliquely downward and forward, expanding as they proceed, 

 and terminate in two fasciculi of muscular fibres : the posterior 

 bundle passes forward beneath the anterior one, and inclining 

 inward and upward, divides into two portions, inserted by long 

 tendons into the spines of the second and first dorsal vertebra? ; 

 it then sends a few fibres forward to join the outer and anterior 

 fasciculus, which is partly inserted by a slender tendon into the 

 spine of the last cervical vertebra : the rest of the fibres of the 

 second fasciculus join the portion of the longissimus dorsi which 

 is implanted into the posterior oblique process of the last cervical 

 vertebra. The three inserted tendons of the spinalis dorsi are 

 also the medium of attachment of fibres continued from the inul~ 

 tifidus spinoi, beneath them. 



The series of muscles called multJjidus spince arises by fleshy 



