I 



THE ANATOMY Or THE OX. 77 



arteries, each of which gains the inner aspect of its respective 

 digits, and enters the distal phalanx. The lateral digital arteries 

 pass down the outer sides of the digits, that of the external 

 digit heing formed by the interosseous plantar and a transverse 

 communicating branch, while that of the internal digit is given 

 off by the great metatarsal artery. 



The anterior aorta may be either very short or absent. In 

 case it is wanting, the brachials arise from the common aorta. 

 The dorsal and vertebral arteries arise from a common trunk. 

 The former gives oflf a branch which takes the place of the 

 superior cervical artery. The vertebral artery is large and does 

 not inosculate with the occipital, but ends in muscular branches. 

 The humeral artery is small, as also are most of its branches. 

 The chief artery supplying the muscles of the posterior brachial 

 region is the scapulo-humeral branch of the subscapular artery. 

 The radio-palmar artery forms an inferior arch (as is also the 

 case in the horse), from which are given off three interosseous 

 palmar arteries (of which the internal is the largest and most 

 constantly present), and one dorsal or anterior interosseous 

 artery which comes to the front of the limb, anastomosing 

 above with the anterior radial artery, while below it occupies 

 the vertical groove in the metacarpus, and inosculates with a 

 recurrent branch of the great metacarpal artery passing between 

 the articulations at the distal end of the bone. The arteries of 

 the digit resemble in the main those in the hind limb. 



The carotid arteries arise, as in the horse, by a trunk from the 

 brachio-cephalic artery. At the head they form the external 

 carotid artery and the occipital artery, which is small. The 

 carotid arteries in ruminants do not definitely bifurcate, the 

 function of the internal carotid artery being performed by the 

 encephalic artery. The occipital artery enters the cranium 

 by the condyloid foramen, passes backwards and inosculates 

 with the lateral artery of the spinal cord at about the level of 

 the internal foramen of the atlas. A branch given off from this 

 union passes out through the foramen to supply the muscles of 

 the poll. The lingual artery gives off the sub-lingual artery, 

 and is itself a branch of the external carotid artery. The 

 mastoid artery of the horse is represented in the ox by a branch 

 of the posterior auricular artery. In the case of the smaller 

 ruminants the coronary arteries of the lips are formed by the 



