196 SKELETON OF THE MOLE. 



brie are depressed and quadrate. The part answering to 

 the nuchal ligament in the giraffe is bony in the mole, u. 



The first sternal bone, or manubrium, is of unusual 

 length, being much produced forwards, and its under 

 surface downwards in the shape of a deep keel for ex- 

 tending the origin of the pectoral muscles. Seven pairs 

 of ribs directly join the sternum, which consists of four 

 bones, in addition to the manubrium and an ossified ensi- 

 form appendage. The neural spines, which are almost 

 obsolete in the first eight dorsals, rapidly gain length in 

 the rest, and are antroverted in the last two dorsal verte- 

 br83. The diapophyses, being developed in the posterior 

 dorsals, determine the nature of the longer homologous 

 processes in the lumbar vertebra3. 



The lumbar spines are low, but of considerable antero- 

 posterior extent: the diapophyses are bent forward in the 

 last four vertebrae: a small, detached, wedge-shaped hy- 

 papophysis is fixed into the lower interspace of the bodies 

 of the lumbar vertebra3. 



The scapula, 51, is very long and narrow, but thick, 

 and almost three-sided: the common rib-shape is resumed 

 in this cranial pleurapophysis, as we have seen in the 

 bird and tortoise. The clavicle, on the other hand, in- 

 stead of the usual long and slender figure, presents the 

 form of a cube, being very short and broad, articulated 

 firmly to the anteriorly projecting breast-bone, and more 

 loosely with the acromion and head of the humerus. 



This bone, 53, would be classified amongst the " flat" 

 bones. It is almost as broad as it is long, especially at 

 its proximal end, which presents two articular surfaces 

 — one for the scapula, the other for the clavicle: the 

 expanse of the bone beyond these surfaces relates to the 

 formation of an adequate extent of attachment for the 



