4 FISCHEE ON THE PELVIS OF THE MAMMALIA ; 



of the os ilium which forms the larger or upper pelvis, but have that portion 

 which towards the back projects beyond the os sacrum, long, although nar- 

 rower, and more parallel with the os sacrum. This is the reason chiefly why 

 the larger os ilium of the mammalia is so much narrower than the same bone 

 in man, and its crest especially narrow. Hence the greatest distinction arises 

 in the ratio of the muscles of the pelvis and trunk ; for instance, the dorsal 

 muscles are very large in the rabbit, and the quadratus lumborum and psoas 

 muscles of that animal which lie anteriorly on the longest transverse pro- 

 cesses. These muscles, on both sides, completely hide the anterior aspect of 

 the bodies of the lumbar vertebrae. There is no iliacus muscle, as there is 

 evidently no room for it ; but the quadratus lumborum being left on the 

 lateral and superior margin of the pelvis, it ascends above that, resting 

 almost on the anterior and lateral margin of the sacrum ; posteriorly it 

 appears to be joined in a manner to the pyriformus muscle of the true pelvis. 

 The abdominal muscles are inserted into the anterior elongated margin of 

 the ilium, Pouparts' ligaments being placed more at the side than in man, on 

 account of the very broad symphysis of the bones of the pubes and thigh 

 bones coming out from the sides of the pelvis, and placed chiefly in an 

 oblique position. 



On account of the narrowness of the ilium, these ligaments almost touched 

 the inferior insertion of the quadratus lumborum, unless the psoas muscle 

 came between them. All the crest of the ilium rises backwards above the 

 os sacrum in the rabbits, and gives insertion to the dorsal muscles ; hence the 

 false pelvis is evidently wanting in that animal, and only the true pelvis is 

 present. In other mammalia, as in the moles, not even by its margin does the 

 os ilium look towards the cavity of the abdomen, the whole bone being re- 

 tracted towards the back superiorly ; other quadrupeds, as the horse, &c., 

 at least possess some abdominal portion of the ilium ; others truly, as the 

 elephant, possess a very large portion, and which on this account resemble 

 man ; but I shall treat of these afterwards. 



This absence of the false pelvis in most of the smaller animals, and the very 

 narrow os ilium, render the extremity of the body posteriorly so narrow 

 when compared to man, and by denying a broader place of insertion for the 

 gluteal muscles, render the haunches of mammalia very slender. The first 

 cause, in connection with the horizontal position of the trunk, easily explains 

 why herniae, which are of very frequent occurrence in man, are very rare 

 among quadruped mammals ; why no congenital hernia can occur in the 

 rabbit, although the processes of peritonaeum, which lead the testicle into the 

 scrotum, remain open even in the adult animal, so that the testicles can very 

 easily pass and re-pass from the cavity of the abdomen : why, moreover, 

 hernias are of more frequent occurrence among those animals which have 

 a certain kind of false pelvis, (as the horse,) which therefore have Pouparts' 

 ligaments and the abdominal rings more transverse, and less situated at the 

 side. It happens, indeed, that the thighs are bent towards the abdomen in 

 almost all mammals, and the bony symphysis of the pubes is broader than in 

 man ; therefore, the lowest part of the abdomen is better protected, while the 

 abdominal rings are at a greater distance from each other. 



It is here worthy of remark, that the infant in the human race has the 



