ANATOMICAL STRUCTURE OF THE SHEEP. 103 



«esses at this point being long and broad, they afford protection 

 to the roof of the abdominal cavity. On their length depends 

 the breadth of loin and ability for the animal to put on flesh at 

 that part. 



Behind the loin we find that five of the vertebrae become 

 ■ossified into one single bone of great strength, and perforated by 

 numerous holes for the passage of spinal nerves. The spinal 

 cord diminishes in size on entering this bone, terminating at its 

 hind extremity in several nerves, which pass to the muscles of 

 the tail. The bones of the tail, called the coccyx, are not per- 

 forated in their middle, are irregular in shape, and numerous. 

 They simply give attachment to the tail muscles. 



t^bc Bonc9 of the fore extremities. 



The shoulder-blade, called the scapula, is a triangular- 

 shaped bone, the base being situated uppermost. It has a spine 

 •or ridge running down its middle for muscle attachment. It is 

 not very long in proportion to its width, being flat and slightly 

 hollowed out on its inner face, where it is attached to the ribs 

 by means of muscles. The forepart of the body being slung, 

 as it were, between the fore extremities, concussion and injury is 

 materially diminished and an additional flexibility is given to 

 the body, whch could not be obtained by a bony articulation. 



Articulating with the lower end of the shoulder blade we 

 find a thick, irregularly-shaped long bone, termed the humerus, 

 or upper arm bone. It projects downward and backwards, and 

 articulates with the lower arm bone or radius. This bone in the 

 sheep is short and strong. Back of the radius and running par- 

 allel to it .and articulating with the knee-joint below and 

 humerus above is situated the elbow-bone or ulna; below these 

 the bones of the knee-joint are situated, and below these again is 

 the shank or metacarpus, composed of two bones, one of which. 



