40 



THE CAT. 



[CHAP. in. 



posterior dorsal vertebrae, the first lumbar being quite like tlie last 

 dorsal, except that it has no capitular surface, but, in its place, a 

 short forwardly extending transverse process, and that the met- 

 apophyses are somewhat larger. 



As we proceed backwards through the series of lumbar vertebrae, 



Fig. IS. FIFTH LUMBAR VERTEBRA. 



a. Anapophysis. 

 o. Centrum. 

 w. Metapophysis. 

 n. Neural lamina. 



s. Neural spine. 

 /. Transverse process. 

 z. Prezygapophysis. 

 3. Postzygapophysis. 



the anapophysis decreases, so that in the sixth lumbar there is but a 

 minute rudiment of such a process. The metapophysis is at its 

 maximum in the fourth lumbar vertebra, but is large even in the 

 last. The neural spine is longest at the fourth. The transverse 

 process increases rapidly from the first lumbar vertebra to the 

 fourth, and is slightly longer in the fifth and sixth lumbar vertebrae. 

 The zygapophyses continue to be directed as in the fifth lumbar 

 vertebra, except that the postzygapophyses of the seventh look 

 once again more downwards. 



The centrum of the seventh lumbar vertebra is not longer than is 

 that of the first, and the same is the case with the neural arch. 



8. Having noted the characters of the vertebrae next behind the 

 dorsal ones, we may advance to those in front of them. 



Of the seven CERVICAL VERTEBRAE the first two are sufficiently 

 exceptional to demand separate notice. The other cervicals are very 

 much alike, but the fifth may be selected for comparison with the 

 fifth dorsal vertebra. 



Its centrum is relatively wider from side to side and narrower 



