FISCHER OX THE PELVIS OF THE MAMMALIA. 



The inferior rami of the os ischiura are often united together by a symphysis, 

 which is frequently ossified ; its internal surface is concave, its external, con- 

 yex. The rami of the os ischium posteriorly form together an obtuse angle, 

 which is named " the angle" of the bones of the ischium, and they end in a 

 protuberance about an inch long, called the tuberosity of the ischium. 

 The acetabulum is oval, and deeply notched towards the anterior margin of the 

 foramen ovale ; formed as usual of the three pelvic bones, the os ilium, however 

 contributing the largest portion. The foramen ovale is formed by the os pubis 

 and os ischium, chiefly however by the latter.* 



Section 25. 8. Pecora. In this order, or natural family, the os sacrum does 

 not present any great variety : in many species it is composed of four verte- 

 brae, as in the camelus, dromedarius, the cervus clephus, the antilope dor- 

 casete : in others, however, it has five vertebrae, as in the bos taurus, antilope 

 eupricapra, cervus dama, &c. 



The external surface of the os sacrum in the ox is less convex ; its spinous 

 processes incline forward, and are united together, excepting the fifth, which 

 is very short, its length being only 9'", whilst the first of these processes 

 measures 2' 1 6'". The anterior portion of the os sacrum is not so broad as in 

 the horse ; moreover, it is not united to the transverse processes of the last 

 lumbar vertebra, 'for which reason it has no articular tuberosity. 



Section 26. The coccygeal vertebrae are not so numerous in this class of 

 animals as in the preceding ; the antilope rupricapra (chamois) and the dorcas 

 have each ten vertebrae in the coccyx ; the goat twelve, according to Allamand ;f 

 in the giraffe there are eighteen ; in the buffalo fifteen, and in the ox eighteen. 

 In the ox the spinous processes, and on each side two transverse processes of 

 the seven anterior coccygeal vertebrae, are abated or withdrawn. The canal 

 for the spinal marrow extends in the ox to the eighth coccygeal vertebrae. 



Section 27. The ossa innominata of the ox differ widely from those of the 

 horse ; the superior crest (angular process) of the os ilium is larger, and ter- 

 minates externally in a large tuberosity, which is especially evident in lean 

 cows. This spine (angular process) in the ox approaches nearer to the trans- 

 verse processes of the lumbar vertebrae, and therefore the distance between 

 them is not so great in the ox as in the horse. The bones of the ischion are 

 larger than those of the horse, both in length and breadth, and are so con- 

 nected together that the angle is more obtuse, for the distance between the 

 tuberosities of the bones of the ischion is 4" 6'", and the incisura shews 2" 

 4"'. The symphysis of the ossa pubis terminates in an eminence, called the 

 spine of the bones of the pubis . The posterior superior branches of the 

 bones of the ischion terminate in two tuberosities an upper one, to which is 

 attached the sacro-ischiatic ligament ; and an inferior, which is larger. I 

 need not speak of the other parts of the pelvis of the ox, as they so much 

 resemble those of the horse. The remaining group of this order have the 



: * Delineationes ossium pelvis equini, vide, Ruini. Anatomia del Cavallo, Conf. Snape; 

 The Anatomy of the Horse; To idon. UiM. .o!.Yv. Gibson. Cf. New Treatise on the Dis- 

 eases of Horses; London. 1751. 4:o. -G. Stu'jbs; The Anatomv of the Horse. London. 1766. 

 fol. La Fosse ; Cours d'Hippiatr.que. Paris. 1772. fol. Tab. 9. Figures 24, 25, 26, 41, 42. 



t In Huffon. Hist. Nat. Supplcm. T. vii. 4 , p. 356. 



J Vitcf. .Med. Veterin. Lyon 1771-S, Tom. i., p. 88. 



