190 Dr. J. Murie on the Muscles of the Giraffe^ 



to the ischial spine and forwards to behind the acetabiikim ; 

 crossing to the tail, it is attached laterally and below to the 

 first and second caudals. Superficial to it is the ischio- 

 coccygeus, about equal in volume. This, which Joly and 

 Lavocat * say is absent, I find comes by a tendinous origin 

 from the great ischiatic ligament, and, proceeding inwards 

 with considerable obliquity, is inserted into the transverse 

 processes of the three anterior caudal vertebrae. The infra- 

 and sacro-coccygeus, the levator cauda3 internus and externus 

 respectively cover the under and upper surfaces of the sacro- 

 coccygeal bones, each vertebra being supplied by tendon, as 

 is usual. The intertransversarii diminish in the ratio of the 

 size of the bones. 



The musculo-tendinous levers of the hind limb have not 

 been touched on by Owen ; but this deficiency is amply com- 

 pensated by the foreign workers. 



The tensor vaginae femoris has a considerable mass of mus- 

 cular fibres above ; but below these merge into a very strong 

 elastic fascia lata, covering the groin and thigh to the knee-joint. 

 In the pelvic region of apes the designation " scansorius " 

 has been applied to one of the muscles, as indicative of its 

 supposed influence in their climbing movements. It appears, 

 however, to be represented in the giraffe by an almost distinct 

 anterior portion of the pyriformis. It arises from the middle 

 of the anterior edge of the ilium, and is inserted outside the 

 .great trochanter, lower than the gluteus minimus and g. 

 medius attachments. 



Joly and Lavocat say, " Le gr^le anterieur [gracilis] des 

 monodactyles n'existe pas." I did not note its presence. As 

 they indicate rather than describe, a sartorius and pectineus 

 are both well represented, the latter being a short thickish 

 muscle. The rectus femoris is very thick indeed, and single 

 in origin. The vastus externus exceeds it in volume, being 

 literally of immense proportion, whilst the v. internus is only 

 half the size of the latter. The crureus is both fleshy and 

 strong ; but its most noteworthy point is that the outer portion 

 rolls round the femur, and in this presents a striking resem- 

 blance to the brachialis anticus of the fore limb — a fact sug- 

 gesting their homology. I found two adductores ; the French 

 anatomists give only one ; for their " long adducteur de la 

 jambe" is veritably the sartorius. My ad. longus springs 

 fleshy from the brim of the pelvis, passes under Poupart's 

 ligament, and is fixed to the middle third of the femoral shaft. 

 The ad. magnus, bulkier, comes from the ascending horizontal 

 rami pubis and proceeds the whole length of the linea aspera. 

 * Ijoc. cit. p. 95. 



