THE RABBIT (Lepus cuniculus). 



A. THE SKELETON. 



I. It is advisable to have two skeletons for examin- 



ation, one of an adult animal, the other of a 

 specimen about six weeks old ; the latter is the 

 more important of the two. In the adult skeleton 

 the bones are best kept in their natural connection, 

 in the young specimen they should be all sepa- 

 rated from one another by prolonged maceration, 

 or by boiling for a short time in water. Of the 

 entire skull a longitudinal vertical section should 

 be made with a fine saw. 



II. In the skeleton as a whole, make out its division 



into 



1. The axial skeleton, consisting of the skull ( 4) 

 and vertebral column, with the ribs and sternum. 



2. The appendicular skeleton, consisting of the 

 shoulder-girdle ( 5), the hip-girdle or pelvis ( 6), 

 and the fore- and hind-limbs. 



3. The division of the vertebral column into regions : 

 the cervical region, containing the seven ribless vertebrae 

 which immediately follow the head ; the thoracic region, 



