396 



CHORD AT A. 



small centrum and two hollow facets for the occipital 

 condyles of the skull. The second or axis has a peg-like 

 odontoid process which belongs by origin to the atlas. The 

 other five have low neural spines and short centra. All the 

 cervical vertebrae have vertebrarterial canals, produced by 

 fusion of cervical ribs, as in the pigeon. 



The thoracic vertebrce are twelve. All have long neural 

 spines. The rib has in each case a capitulum articulating 



^. „ ^ ^^ between the centra of 



Fig. 285. — Lateral View , _. 



OF Thoracic Vertebra of Rabbit. ^"^^ vertebrae ^ ana a 



{Adnat.) tuberculum articulatmg 



^«^. with the transverse 



process of the hind- 

 most of the two verte- 

 brae (see page 418). 

 The ribs meet below 

 in the sternum^ which 

 is divided into a num- 

 ber of joints or sterne- 

 brce. The anterior end 

 is known as the manubrium and the posterior end as the 

 xiphisternum. 



Neural Spine. 



Pre- 

 zygapophysis. 



Facets 



Facet. 





Fig. 286. — Anterior View of 

 a Lumbar Vertebra of 

 Rabbit. {^Ad nat.) 



Fig. 287. — Lateral View of 

 A Lumbar Vertebra of 

 Rabbit. {Ad nat.) 



Metapophysis. 



Post. Zygapophysi: 

 Prezygapophysis. 



Anapophysis. 



, Transverse Process. 



Articular Facet. 



Metapophysis. 



The lumbar vertebrce are seveji in number They have 

 large transverse processes which slope forwards and down- 

 wards. The neural spines are smaller than in the dorsal 

 and there is a mid-ventral process or hypapophysis. 



