106 ANATOMICAL STEUCTUEE OF THE SHEEP. 



through accumulations of dry sand, that an ulceration is set up, 

 which often proves very difficxilt to cure. 



r^bc Bind extrcmctica. 



The pelvis is composed of six separate bones in the yoimg 

 animal, which become ossified into a single one as the sheep ad- 

 vances in age. The pelvis has two sides and a floor, and affords 

 protection to the bladder and organs of generation; it lies in an 

 inclined plane, projecting downwards and backwards, the 

 inner siirface of its superior projections articulating with the 

 first transverse processes of the sacrum, passing backwards and 

 downwards they converge inwards, forming an imperfect circle, 

 their union forming a flat surface, called the floor of the pelvis. 

 The posterior projections of the bones are called the ischiatio 

 spines; the superior and interior projections forming the hips of 

 the animal, these in well formed sheep being short and covered 

 with flesh and fat. Just anterior to the ischatic spines will be 

 noticed a deep cavity in which the head of the thigh bone, or 

 femur, articulates. This bone has a round head, the form of 

 articulation and depth of cavity in which its rests permitting a 

 backward and forward motion, and to a certain extent rotary. 

 We find that the femur extends downwards and forwards, that 

 it is proportionately heavier in the sheep than in the horse, and 

 it is thickly surrounded with flesh, which, when cut off the car- 

 cass for sale, is termed the leg of mutton. 



Its lower end forms with the bone below and one placed in 

 front of their union, the stifle joint, the bone in front of the joint 

 being called the patella, so situated as to act as a lever for the 

 muscles of the anterior part of the hind limb. The bone below 

 the femur is termed the lower thigh bone, or tibia, extending 

 doAvnwards and backwards from its articulation with the patella 

 and femur. "\Ye find that in proportion to the horse it is not 



