17(3 DR. B. C. A. WINULB AND SIB. F. G. PAKSONS ON THE [Mar. 1, 



the ilium, and Poupart's ligament. It is inserted into the posterior 

 two to five ribs and the linea alba. 



We have noticed in several animals that the aponeurosis of this 

 muscle, instead of dividing to enclose the rectus, passes super- 

 ficially to it, and Shepherd (XX.) has observed the same in fJrsus 

 americanus. In male Caruivora the internal oblicjue forms, at all 

 events, the greater part of the scrotal pouch. 



The Transversalis rises from the internal surfaces of the posterior 

 six or more ribs and from the lumbar fascia ; it is only fleshy in the 

 dorsal and anterior part of the abdomen. In some animals it splits 

 to enclose the rectus, but it is difficult in many cases to be sure of 

 this point. 



The P^oas mcujmis rises from the posterior three or four 

 thoracic and all the lumbar vertebrae. It is joined by the iliacus 

 and inserted into the lesser trochanter. 



The Psoas parvus is always present in Carnivora, it rises from 

 the anterior lumbar vertebrae, internal to the magaus, and is 

 inserted into the ilio-pectineal line. 



The Iliacus is always a small muscle, and has the usual origin 

 from the venter of the ilium. Its insertion is with the psoas. 



Quadratus lumborum. — This muscle is very difficult to dis- 

 tinguish, as it tends to fuse with the psoas ventraily and the 

 erector spinge dorsally ; it usually consists of fibres running from 

 the lumbar transverse processes to the crest of the ilium, the costo- 

 vertebral portion being undifferentiated. 



Serrati dorsales. — These muscles show great varietv in the 

 number of ribs t(j which they are attached, as well as in the 

 degree of their fleshy development. They also vary in the number 

 of ribs to which they are attached in different specimens of the 

 same animal. For these reasons we think it needless to encumber 

 this paper w ith the exact number of attachments in each animal 

 dissected, but will content ourselves .with saying that the serratus 

 dorsalis thoracis (serratus posticus superior of human anatomy) is 

 always a larger muscle than the serratus dorsalis lumbalis (serratus 

 posticus inferior), and that it is usually attached to some 8 or 10 

 ribs, beginning at the 2nd or 3rd. The serratus dorsalis lumbalis, 

 on the other hand, is small and is often absent altogether. When 

 it is present, it is attached to three or four posterior ribs, and in 

 those cases in which the two muscles overlap, it is always the 

 lumbalis which is superficial. In Cuvier and Laurillard's plate 

 of the Badger's muscles (XXXIIL), the lumbar part of the serratus 

 dorsalis is inserted into the eight anterior ribs and no thoracic 

 portion is present. Unfortunately we have not had an opportunity 

 of checking this observation. 



Erector spince. — The thi-ee portions of this mass known in 

 human anatomy as the sacro-lumbalis, longissimus dorsi, and spi- 

 nalis dor si are present in the Carnivora. In Fdis leo and Felispardiis, 

 Cuvier and Laurillard (V., VI.) point out that the sacro-lumbalis 

 is not continued back as far as the sacrum and ilium, but only 

 reaches the rib. . In these animals, apparently, only that part of 



