78 



OSTEOLOGY 



ligament passing posterior to it and attached to the 

 tubercle on the the inner surface of the lateral mass 

 on either side of the arch, and by check ligaments 

 extending from the apex of the odontoid process to the 

 occipital bone. The atlas has a foramen (the costo- 

 transverse) for the vertebral artery in its transverse 

 process. 



FIG. 39 



Odontoid process. 



Rough surface for check ligaments.* 

 Articular surface for transverse ligament. . 



Spi nous process. 



Articular surface foi 



Body. 



T Transverse process. 

 Inferior articular process. 



(Gray.) 



Second cervical vertebra or axis. 



The Axis (Second Vertebra) .This possesses a strong, 

 prominent process, tooth-like in form, which arises 

 perpendicularly from the upper surface of the body. 

 The body in front overlaps the vertebra below. The 

 tip of the odontoid process affords attachment to the 

 check ligaments (see Fig. 52, page 109) and has an 

 articular surface anteriorly, which articulates with the 

 atlas, and an articular facet behind for the transverse 

 ligament, which holds it firmly in position. The pedi- 

 cles and laminae form the neural arch in the same 

 manner as the atlas and other vertebrae. The spinous 

 process is larger than the one of the atlas. The trans- 

 verse processes are small, and are perforated by the 

 foramen for the vertebral artery. 



