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W. M. Carpenter on the Muscles in the Glass Snake. 91 
has a series of these muscular cones around each of its extremi- 
ties, and projecting beyond its articulating surfaces, in a direction 
parallel to the axis of the bone; one set projecting forward and 
the other backward. Further examinations show that these two 
sets of muscles are connected together, and in fact that they are 
composed of the same fibres or fascicles, which, having slight at- 
tachments about the middle of their length to the bone, extend 
forward to form the anterior series, and backward to form the 
posterior series of conical muscles. Each of these cones is form- 
ed by the union of two sets of muscular fibres, which are slight- 
ly oblique to each other, and which meet ata very acute angle; 
and the same fascicles which, by their anterior projection, form 
the cone standing forward, are prolonged in the opposite direction, 
and by meeting with the oblique fascicle lying next to them, 
form the cones which project backward. Each of these conical 
muscles contains a conical cavity corresponding to its outward 
form, for the reception of the muscle next behind it. ‘This ar- 
rangement I have endeavored to represent in the middle portion 
of fig. 1. Lines drawn from 8 to b’ and from ¢ to e’, would in- 
dicate the situation of the ends of the bone. The white lines 
which run a little obliquely back and forth, and meet to form the 
zigzag series, indicate the relative position of the different fasci- 
culi of muscular fibres, which constitute the series of muscles 
that surround each of the vertebral bones. Hach of the fasci- 
cles has a point of attachment to the bone near its middle. 
{n order to analyze the arrangement of these muscles and the 
direction of their fibres, it will be necessary to describe the bones 
around which they are situated. 
Fig. 2 represents an enlarged Fig, ® 
view of two bones in their natu- 4 
ral position. The anterior artic- |, 
ing surface is concave>the  , 
posterior convex ; they are cov- E§ 
ered witha stiiatitie cartilage, and 
are susceptible of very free mo- 
tion; they are represented by E ® 
and By A and A’ are the superior spinous apophyses, between 
the crura of which passes the superior spinal canal, containing the 
Spinal marrow. B and B’ are the inferior spinous apophyses, be- 
tween the crura of which passes the large artery. C C’ are the 
