THE NECK. 51 



We have thus a rough idea of its fundamental 

 structure, and shall be able further to discuss the 

 subject intelligibly. The column of bones is repre- 

 sented by the diagonal that divides the neck above 

 and below into two triangles, the upper one being 

 the larger and more clearly defined. On referring 

 to Diagram B it will be seen that this upper 

 triangle contains the great cervical ligament which 

 supports the great overhanging mass formed by the 

 head and neck. It will no doubt often have oc- 

 curred to non-anatomists, as a matter of wonder, how 

 such a weighty overhanging mass as that of the 

 head and neck gets supported, and how it is kept 

 from dropping down and dangling between the fore 

 legs. It will be seen on reference to Fig. 7 B that 

 there is a ligament occupying the upper triangle of 

 the neck which has^z^o distinct forms, a cordiform or 

 funicular portion, 111 and a lamellary portion 2 222. 

 The former is continuous, with the ligament running 

 along the upper ends of the spines of the vertebral 

 column of the back and loins, and then stretches 

 along the upper part of the triangular space of the 

 neck and gets inserted to the summit of the head at 

 the back; whilst the other portion spreads from 

 above downwards like a fan and in reality is given 

 off from the upper or cordiform portion. This fan- 

 like portion has six slips, which get inserted to the 

 spines of the last six of the bones of the neck. 



In the first lesson we saw that muscle was an 

 active contractile tissue lohich could become exhausted, 



E 2 



