j^j^QTT — On Anomahns Structures in Human Anatomy. 333 



ligament. I now observed what I at first took for a disproportionate 

 increase in the depth of the transverse ligament. On examining 

 more carefully, however, I soon found that the upper bundle of 

 transverse fibres, which caused the apparent increase in depth of that 

 ligament, was attached — not to the lateral masses of the atlas, but — to 

 either margin of the foramen magnum, and formed a strong, rounded, 

 and perfectly separate ligamentous cord, stretching across the foramen 

 magnuyn from the posterior part of the tubercle for the check liga- 

 ment on one side to the corresponding point on the other. Its lower 

 margin, which had at first sight appeared to be fused with the 

 transverse ligament, was found to be easily separated from the latter, 

 as the adjacent margins of the two structures were merely connected 

 by a little loose areolar tissue. The afpendix superior ascended from 

 the upper margin of the transverse ligament, behind the other band, 

 to its usual point of attachment. 



Fig. 2 gives a good idea of its relation to tlie cheek ligaments : the latter were 

 exposed by division of the other ligaments connecting the atlas with the 

 occipital bone, and then separating the two bones by traction— «, superior 

 appendix of cmcif orm ; h, i:pper part of transverse ligament ; c, ligamentum 

 transversale occipitale. 



When the latter structure was forcibly drawn upwards from the 

 upper margin of the transverse ligament, the apex of the odontoid 

 process was brought into view, and the check ligaments were seen 

 proceeding therefrom, one on either side, obliquely outwards and 

 upwards, with a slight inclination forwards to their usual points of 

 attachment, which in this case was immediately in front of, and 

 indeed partially blended with, those of the ligament which forms the 

 subject of the present communication. 



Having never before met with anything similar to this liga- 

 mentous band, my curiosity was considerably excited by its appear- 

 ance, and this feeling was not diminished when I found, on showing 



