426 



both lumbar vertebrae. Parapophyses and metapophyses are also developed from the fore 

 part of the first sacral vertebra, together with another accessory process extending to the 

 parapophyses, projecting from the fore part of the diapophyses, and presenting an articular 

 surface to a corresponding accessory articulating process for the anapophysis of the last 

 lumbar. The neural spines of the five sacral vertebrae have coalesced into a continuous ridge, 

 on each side of the base of which are the tubercular representations of the metapophyses. 

 The transverse processes of the last sacral are enormously expanded, and develope from their 

 under part a broad rough prominence for syndesmosis with the anterior tuberosity of the 

 ischium. The posterior and ordinary tuberosity of that bone projects freely outwards beneath 

 the transverse processes of the first caudal. The metapophysial tubercles begin to be developed 

 from above the prozygapophyses from the first to the eighteenth caudal, beyond which the 

 metapophyses exclusively represent the articular processes. The broad transverse processes 

 have an accessory tubercle near their extremities, as far as the sixth caudal ; at the seventh 

 they are notched at their extremities, and the notch deepens until it divides the diapophyses 

 into two in the eighteenth vertebra, and so on till they disappear at the end of the tail. 

 Haemal arches are articulated between the vertebral interspaces of most of the caudals. 

 Twelve pairs of ribs directly articulate with the sternum, which consists of ten bones. The 

 modifications of the cranium and the bones of the trunk accord with the descriptions given 

 by Cuvier in his great work the ' Recherches sur les Ossemens Fossiles,' vol. v. part ii. 



Mus. Brookes. 

 2366. The skeleton of the Great Ant-eater (Myrmecopkagajubatd). 



The vertebral formula is: 7 cervical, 15 dorsal, 3 lumbar, 5 sacral, and 29 caudal, but 

 the tip of the tail is incomplete in the present skeleton. The transverse processes of the 

 atlas are pierced in two places obliquely at the fore part of the neural arch on each side. The 

 axis has a transverse perforation on each side the neural arch anterior to the transverse pro- 

 cess, which is imperforate. The transverse processes of the three succeeding cervicals are 

 imperforate, the vertebral artery entering the neural canal behind, and perforating obliquely 

 the base of the neurapophysis, anteriorly, as in the Camelidce. In the sixth cervical, the 

 canal for the vertebral artery runs through the base of the transverse process. These pro- 

 cesses are much extended antero-posteriorly in all the cervicals and overlap each other. The 1 

 diapophysial and pleurapophysial portions are very distinct in the fifth and sixth cervicals. 

 The spines of the third and sixth cervicals inclusive are triangular and pointed ; that of the 

 seventh is longer than the rest and truncate above ; it is much exceeded in antero-posterior 

 diameter by the spine of the first dorsal, but not in height. A metapophysial tubercle is 

 developed from the outer side of the anterior zygapophysis in all the five posterior cervicals. 

 It is placed more outwardly in the first and second dorsals, and gets upon the top of the 

 diapophyses in the succeeding dorsals. In the eleventh dorsal the metapophysis begins to 

 resume its former position, and developes an articular surface from its under part, which joins 

 the upper articulating surface of the anapophysis of the preceding vertebra. In the thirteenth 

 dorsal, the metapophysis is half-way between the diapophysis and anterior zygapophysis, and 

 repeats the same articulation with the anapophysis. In the last two dorsal vertebrae, the 

 base of the metapophysis developes a second articular surface from its inner side, which joins 



