THE ANATOMY OF THE ELK. 387 



Body and Abdominal Muscles. 



Panniculus Carnosus is strong and arises from an aponeurosis covering 

 the buttock, from the region of the knee-joint, and from an aponeurosis 

 which covers the dorsal region ; the fibres pass obliquely forward and down- 

 ward, the posterior ending in the abdominal aponeurosis, whilst the anterior 

 fibres converge and end on the fascia covering the axilla. 



External Oblique arises by seven digitations from the outer surfaces of 

 as many of the lower ribs ; it is inserted in the usual manner upon the ab- 

 dominal aponeurosis. 



Internal Oblique arises from the outer half of Poupart's ligament, and 

 from the anterior half of the crest of the ihum. Those fibres of the muscle 

 which arise from the ilium are inserted into the last rib, whilst the re- 

 mainder of the muscle terminates upon the abdominal aponeurosis. 



Transversalis. — This muscle arises through the medium of the lumbar 

 aponeurosis from the transverse processes of the lumbar vertebrae, as well 

 as from the posterior margin of the thorax as far forward as the tip of the 

 cartilage of the fourth last rib. It is inserted into the abdominal aponeu- 

 rosis. 



Rectus Abdominis has a tendinous origin from the median raphe which 

 separates the adductor muscles of the thighs. The muscle is inserted into 

 the cartilages of the posterior ribs. 



CoNCLUDiNa Eemabks. 



Having now completed the account of our observations, it may 

 be as well that we should add a few words by way of comparison 

 of the anatomy of the Elk with that of other Ruminants. In re- 

 spect of the large size and compound nature of the buccal papillae, 

 this animal differs from most of the Cervidae in which they are 

 simple and conical in form, and agrees rather mth the Camel and 

 Giraffe. The tongue, viewed either with reference to its form or 

 the arrangement of its papillae, does not deviate essentially from 

 the Cervine type. Professor Garrod* says with regard to the 

 stomach of Ruminants : — " The rumen varies as to the shape and 

 distribution of the villi on its mucous membrane. In most of 

 the smaller species the folds which constrict the viscus, as well 

 as the pouches between them, are covered internally with villi, 

 though these are larger in the latter situations. In most of the 

 larger species the villi are absent on the folds, and are largest in 

 the middle of the pouches." Alces therefore agrees with the 

 smaller species of Ruminants, and not with the larger, as regards 

 the distribution of the villi, whilst their spatulate form recalls to 

 mind the exceptional appearance of these structures in the Rein- 



* Proceed. Zool. See. 1877, p. 3. 



