BACK AND POSTERIOR CERVICAL REGION. 131 



sacro-lumbalem ; and those from the four or five upper ribs which are 

 inserted into the cervical transverse processes, as the cervicalis ascend- 

 ens muscle. 



The longissimus dorsi muscle is inserted into the transverse pro- 

 cesses of all the dorsal vertebrae, and to that portion of from seven to 

 eleven ribs, which is situated wtihin their angles ; it is continued 

 upward into the neck by a slender accessory portion, often described 

 as a distinct muscle, under the name of the transversalis colli, and 

 which, arising from the tips of the transverse processes of the four upper 

 dorsal and the seventh cervical vertebrae, is inserted into the transverse 

 processes of about four cervical vertebrae, above the preceding, blend- 

 ing with the cervicalis ascendens and trachelo-mastoid muscles. 



The trachelo-mastoid muscle is the continuation of the longissimus 

 dorsi to the head. It arises from the articular processes of three or 

 four lower cervical vertebrae, on the inner side of, and inseparable 

 from, the transversalis colli, and is inserted into the posterior part of 

 the mastoid process, beneath the splenius and sterno-mastoid muscles. 



The spinal is dorsi is often described as a part of the longissimus 

 dorsi, and it can only be artificially separated from it. It arises by 

 separate tendons from the spinous processes of the first two lumbar 

 nd last dorsal vertebrae, and is inserted into from four to eight of 

 spiuous processes of the upper dorsal vertebrae. The muscles of 



e two sides form a long ellipse. 



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The COMPLEXUS MUSCLE, with the splenius, forms the 

 Ik of the back of the neck. It arises from the transverse 

 ocesses of four upper dorsal, and from the transverse and 

 articular processes of four lower cervical vertebrae, and is 

 inserted into the occipital bone between the curved lines. 

 Upon its inner border, a large fasciculus, consisting of two 

 bellies with an intervening tendon, from which peculiarity 

 it has been named biventer cervicix, separates itself from 

 the principal mass of the complexus. . 



The occipitalis major nerve is transmitted to the surface 

 through the complexus and trapezius muscles, near their 

 cranial attachment. As soon as the nerve is free from the 

 muscles, it receives a cutaneous offset from the third cervi- 

 cal nerve. The occipital artery rests upon the upper end 

 of the complexus, and beneath it the branch of that artery 

 called the princeps cervicis anastomoses with the profunda 

 cervicis. 



The posterior belly of the occipito-frontalis muscle (p. 15) 

 will be seen during this dissection. It is a thin, flat plane 

 of muscular fibres arising from the outer part of the supe- 

 rior curved line of the occipital bone, and inserted into the 

 epicranial aponeurosis, by which it is connected with its 

 frontal portion. 



