396 CHORDATA. 
small centrum and two hollow facets for the occipital 
condyles of the skull. The second or axis has a peg-like 
odontoid process which belongs by origin to the atlas. The 
other five have low neural spines and short centra. All the 
cervical vertebrae have vertebrarterial canals, produced by 
fusion of cervical ribs, as in the pigeon. 
The thoracic vertebra are twelve. All have long neural 
spines. ‘The rib has in each case a capitulum articulating 
. between the centra of 
Fig. 285.—LaATERAL VIEW io. weutebes: Gad a 
oF THORACIC VERTEBRA OF RABBIT. : - 
(Ad nat.) tuberculum axticulating 
with the transverse 
process of the hind- 
most of the two verte- 
Pree bre (see page 418). 
pee: lhe a ee ae 
in the sternum, which 
is divided into a num- 
Facet. —~ Weg eb ber of joints or s¢erne- 
bre. The anterior end 
is known as the manudbrium and the posterior end as the 
xiphisternum. 
”“ 
Neural Spine. 
Fig. 286.—ANTERIOR VIEW OF Fig. 287.—LATERAL VIEW OF 
A LUMBAR VERTEBRA OF A LUMBAR VERTEBRA OF 
-RaBBIT. (4d nat.) RanBit. (4d zat.) 
Metapophysis, 
Metapophysis. f 
Post. Zygapophysis. 
Prezygapophysis. 
, Transverse Process. 
Articular Facet. 
Articular Hemal Hamal Transverse 
Facet. Spine. Spine. Process. 
The lumbar vertebre are sever in number ‘They have 
large transverse processes which slope forwards and down- 
wards. The neural spines are smaller than in the dorsal 
and there is a mid-ventral process or hypapophysis. 
