CHAPTER YL 



IS^ E C K . 



OSTEOLOGY. 



Seven cervical vertebrae. 



General characters: They are the longest and thick- 

 est of all ; the inferior spinous process of the body is 

 well developed ; the head well detached ; the cavity 

 very deep and larger than the head it receives ; the 

 superior spinous process is a rough crest ; the trans- 

 verse processes are very large, bending downwards and 

 perforated at their base by the trachelian foramen ; 

 the articular facets are plano-convex and very wide ; 

 the foramen of conjugation very large. 



Specific characters : Firsts or atlas is very large and 

 more flat ; the body is quite small ; its inferior spinous 

 process is replaced by a tubercle ; its superior face is 

 divided into a surface for ligamentous attachment, and 

 an articular surface ; it has no head nor cavity behind ; 

 in their stead are found forward two deep cavities 

 formed by four concave facets for articulation with 



