32 Hounds 



man. This single digit in the horse comprises the 

 pastern bones and the coffin bone plus the hoof (nail). 



The Hind Limb 



Unlike the fore limb, the hind limb is articulated 

 to the skeleton of the trunk through the medium of 

 the basin bone or pelvis — os innominatum — each half 

 of which is really composed of three separate bones, 

 though these are fused. 



The names of these are the ilium, ischium and pubis. 

 The pelvis is a most significant part of the skeleton, 

 not only forming a fixed point for the spinal column, 

 but also for the leverage power of the hind limbs. 



It is convenient to speak of the pelvis as a bony 

 arch with an inlet and outlet, assisting in the pro- 

 tection of delicate internal organs belonging to the 

 urinary and generative systems. 



In bitches the transverse diameter of the pelvis is 

 slightly greater than in the male. 



The hip-joint is formed by the articular head of 

 the femur or first thigh bone and the cap-like cavity 

 on the outer side of the pelvis. This is a ball-and- 

 socket joint. This joint is an extremely strong one, 

 and seldom the seat of inj ury . The first thigh extends 

 from the hip-joint to the stifle in a downward and for- 

 ward direction. The femur is a fairly strong bone and 

 the shaft rounded. It is relatively long in the Grey- 

 hound, Deerhound and Wolfhound, and the neck of 



