520 Mr. J. Wood on Variations in Human Myology. [May 23, 



3. lu one of the subjects (No. 3) the whole of the fibres of origin of 

 the Splenius colli were placed superficial to, instead of deeper than, those 

 of the serratus posticus superior, which thus intervened between those 

 of the lower parts of splenius capitis and colli, the origins of these latter 

 being in other respects normal. 



In No. 28 was found a muscle which presents what is possibly a fur- 

 ther development of this displacement. The muscle was flat and riband- 

 like, three-quarters of an inch wide, attached above to the transverse 

 process of the atlas behind the levator anguli scapulae, and between it 

 and the splenius colli. Passing down and inwards for about 6 inches, it 

 ended at the spinous process of the first dorsal vertebra in a short flat 

 tendon with diverging fibres, which passing beneath the rliomboideus 

 minor, became blended with the deep surface of the upper fibres of 

 origin of the rhomboideus major half an inch from their attachment. 

 Some of the fibres were lost on the tendon of the serratus posticus 

 superior also. 



A muscle closely similar to this has been described by Mr. Macalister, 

 of the Eoyal College of Surgeons of Dublin, in a paper published in the 

 ' Proceedings of the Eoyal Irish Academy ' (April 1866, vol. ix. pi. v.) 

 under the name of the rliomia-axoid (by misprint for atloid) . In his case 

 the muscle was connected, however, with the rhomboideus minor on its 

 deep surface. In both instances the splenius colli was coexistent. 



A still more striking muscular anomaly, and possibly a further de- 

 velopment of the same tendency, was seen in subject 20 (fig. 1). A 

 distinct riband-shaped muscle, three-quarters of an inch wide, a quarter 

 of an inch thick, and 10 inches long (a), was attached to the occijpital 

 hone, on a level with the splenius capitis {h), directly under the line of 

 junction of the trapezius (c) with the cleido -occipital muscle (<?), which 

 was also present. Passing down and outwards, superficial to and ob- 

 liquely across the splenii and covered by the trapezius, it was inserted by 

 short tendinous fibres posterior and superficial to the insertions of the 

 rhomboideus minor {e) and major (/) muscles into the border of the 

 scapula opposite to the spine and upper part of the infraspinous fossa. 

 Its fibres of insertion were more or less blended with those of the 

 rhomboids. 



The author has named this muscle the Occipito -scapular. It may be 

 considered as a slip of connection from the origin of the trapezius (c) 

 with the insei'tion of the levator anguli scapulae (g), in the same 

 manner as the levator claviculce may be considered as a muscle connect- 

 ing the origin of the latter muscle with the insertion of the former, 

 thus falling among a numerous class of abnormal human muscles as 

 arranged by the author in his first paper upon the subject. Its action 

 would evidently be to approximate the scapula to the occiput, assisting 

 the levator anguli ; and to raise the head backwards, assisting'^the com- 

 plexus, splenius, and trapezius. The author has not met with any 



