294 THE SKELETON OF THE RABBIT. 



the passage of the spinal nerves, the posterior 

 notches being much the deeper. 



e. The neural spine or spinous process is a median 



dorsal crest, projecting upwards and forwards 

 from the top of the neural arch. 



f. The hypapophysis is a median ventral process from 



the under surface of the centrum, projecting 

 downwards, forwards, and slightly to the right. 



g. The transverse processes are a pair of large flattened 



processes with expanded ends, projecting for- 

 wards, downwards, and outwards from the sides 

 of the centrum. 



h. The zygapophyses or articular processes are borne 

 on the two ends of the neural arch : they articu- 

 late with those of the adjacent vertebrae, so as to 

 limit torsion of the vertebral column, and lateral 

 displacement of the contiguous vertebrae. 



i. The pre-zygapophyses, or anterior articular pro- 

 cesses, project upwards from the anterior end 

 of the neural arch. The articular surfaces 

 are concave, and turned inwards towards each 

 other : above them the processes extend up- 

 wards in this vertebra to form the stout 

 metapophyses. 



Fio. 60. Lepus cuniculus. Selected vertebrae, (a. m. m.) 

 I. First cervical vertebra, or atlas, from the dorsal surface. H. 

 Second oervical vertebra, or axis, from the right side. IH. Fifth 

 cervical vertebra ; anterior surface. IV. Fourth thoracic vertebra, 

 from the right side. V. Fourth thoracic vertebra, and fourth pair of 

 ribs ; anterior surface. VI. Second lumbar vertebra, from the right 

 side. VH. Second lumbar vertebra ; anterior surface. 



A, articular surface for atlas. AP, anapophysis. AZ, anterior or pre- 

 zygapophysis. c, centrum. CE, epiphysis of centrum. CR, cervical rib. 

 F H , facet for capitulum or head of the fourth rib. F H ', facet for capitulum of the 

 fifth rib. FO, facet for odontoid process. FT, facet for tubercle of fourth 

 rib. HP, hypapophysis. MP, metapophysis. NS, neural spine, or spinous 



process. OP, odontoid process, pz, post-zygapophysi3. RC, capitulum or 

 head of rib. RP, process of rib for attachment of ligaments. RS, sternal 

 portion of rib. RT, tubercle of rib. RV, vertebral portion of rib. S, sternum. 

 TP, transverse process. VA, vertebrarterial canal. 



