THE ANATOMY OF THE OX. 33 



The second cervical vertebra, or axis, is short, the odontoid 

 process being broad and bounded inferiorly by a prominent 

 articular ridge. The odontoid process in ruminants is spout- 

 shaped. The neural spine does not bifurcate, nor does it 

 become continuous with the posterior articular processes. The 

 pedicles on either side are perforated by a circular foramen. 

 The body is semi-cylindrical, not conical, and it is so concave 

 on its upper surface as to present the appearance of a groove. 

 The spinous process of the axis is not so thick as in the case 

 of the horse, and it is not bifid posteriorly. 



In the five cervical vertebrae which come after the axis, a 

 rugged continuous lamina unites the anterior articular processes 

 to the posterior ones. The spinous process inclines forward, 

 and at its summit is flat in the transverse direction, and is in some 

 cases bifid. It becomes progressively higher from the third to 

 the fifth cervical vertebra. The transverse processes of the 

 sixth vertebra are long, and only provided with two prolonga- 

 tions, a superior and an inferior one. The latter is large, and 

 flat on both sides, and is bent abruptly downwards. The spinous 

 process of the sixth cervical vertebra is long, namely, about 

 I5 inch in height, and it is flattened laterally. This vertebra 

 has no inferior spine. The seventh cervical vertebra is provided 

 with a spinous process which is the longest. It is as much as 

 4f inches in height, and points backwards and upwards. The 

 transverse processes are single, and end in rough tuberosities. 

 This vertebra is not provided with an inferior spine, and only 

 seldom with a vertebral foramen. 



Dorsal Vertebrae. — The centra of the dorsal vertebrse of 

 the ox are very similar to, though longer and thicker than, 

 those of the horse. Their spinous processes also are larger, 

 and incline more markedly backwards. Their transverse pro- 

 cesses are very large, and provided with a facet which is convex 

 from above downwards, and their posterior notches are nearly 

 always converted into foramina. These dorsal vertebrae are 

 more slender in the middle than at the extremities. The spinous 

 processes diminish in width, especially at their summits, from the 

 first to the eleventh dorsal vertebra, and then again widen in the 

 two last. They increase in slope to the tenth, after which they 

 become more and more upright. The first four are the longest, 

 and are nearly of the same height. The others gradually dimi- 



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