The Muscles and Their Work. 25 



and loins, they contribute to the breathing movements of 

 the animal and extend the spine ; the valuable meat cuts 

 of the back and loins are contributed largely by these 

 muscles ; in fact, if an imaginary line be drawn from the 

 shoulder point to the point of the buttock, nearly all of 

 the valuable cuts will be above that line. 



Pour powerful muscles, the pectorals and the serrati, 

 forming the muscles of the armpits, are the means by 

 which the body is slung between the fore legs. The 

 muscles of the hind limbs are of great importance and 

 some of them of immense size ; in the meat type of ani- 

 mal especially great muscular development in this region 

 is essential, as these muscles contribute largely to the 

 high priced cuts. 



The hip or croup is extended by the great rump mus- 

 cle (gluteus maximus), which also assists in rearing, and 

 by some muscles which lie at the back of the thigh bone 

 (femur). The great rump muscle is attached to the 

 upper portion of the pelvis (Ilium) and runs forward as 

 far as the last rib, its insertion being on the head of the 

 thigh bone. The muscles at the back of the thigh origi- 

 nate on the under surface of the pelvis from behind the 

 hip joint to the point of the buttock and are inserted 

 principally to the lower part of the thigh bone or the 

 upper portion of the bone below (the tibia). The hip 

 is flexed by muscles (psoae) that have their origin on 

 the under surface of the last dorsal vertebrae and ribs 

 and the loin; they also tend to arch the back and bring 

 the animal to its feet after rearing; the insertions are on 

 the thigh bone. Other muscles (triceps adductors femoris 

 sartorius and pectineus) which are attached to the under 



