96 
PROFESSOR WOOD ON THE NECK- AND SHOULDER-MUSCLES. 
This remarkable bifurcation of the muscle I have myself found both in the Badger 
and the Weasel (Plate X. figs. 14 & 15, e,f)\ it bears significantly upon the connexion 
I have endeavoured to establish in this paper between the anterior and posterior levators 
of the scapula. In the latter of these animals the muscle arises by a single origin from 
the transverse process of the atlas ; in the former it extends as far as that of the axis, 
as is sometimes the case in the Dog. Almost directly two fiat, ribbon-like, diverging 
muscles are formed, one passing backwards and downwards to be inserted, superficial to 
the trapezius , into the metacromial process, and the other backwards and upwards, to 
join at insertion to that of the occipito-scapular at the angle of the scapula. Both the 
muscles are inserted also into the supraspinous fascia, and into the vertebral end of 
the scapular spine itself, under cover of the trapezius. The last-described division of 
this double muscle is evidently the homologue of the first or atloid digitation of the 
human levator anguli ; it has the same origin, course, and insertion, and forms in the 
same manner a link of connexion between the origin of the anterior levator scapulae 
or acromio-trachelien and the insertion of the posterior or occipito- scapular muscle. 
This link is rendered more continuous by the abnormal human varieties which I have 
described in the earlier part of this paper. 
A perplexing resemblance to the bifurcation above described is seen in the arrange- 
ment of this muscle in the Rabbit (Plate X. fig. 16, e b) ; this will, however, be found, 
on closer inspection, to be essentially different in its nature. In this animal, as well as 
in the Guinea-pig, the origin of the muscle becomes blended (as we have seen to be the 
case in the Cat) with the fibres of the rectus capitis anticus major , contributing to 
form a thick muscular mass between the pharynx and the vertebrae (see fig. 1 3, u, 
v, b, and e ). The outer part of the apparently double muscle is attached also to the 
transverse process of the atlas (1), while some appear to be connected with the rectus 
minor ( v ) ; but the greater and inner portion arises directly from the basilar process of 
the cranium, close and external to the insertion of the rectus major ( u ), and near the 
line of suture between it and the mastoid process and the large tympanic protuberance. 
The two parts composing the muscular mass are easily separated along a loose areolar 
interval extending quite up to the base of the skull ; they pass together along the neck, 
crossed by the ster no-mastoid (fig. 16, a) and cleiclo-occipital (c) muscles, and then separate 
in the posterior triangle, — the upper or hinder one (e) to be inserted, superficial to the 
trapezius, into the prolonged metacromial process (z), and the other to join the tendinous 
intersection connected with front of the rudimentary clavicle (x) at its outer half, where 
it assists in forming the great ceplicdo ■humeral muscle. The first of the two muscles is 
described by Krause (op. cit. S. 103) as the “ levator scapulas major j and the latter as 
the “ basio-humeralis ,” referring this erroneously as a homologue to the “ transverso- 
scapulaire ” of Strauss-Durckiieim, — an homologue which applies more correctly to the 
former muscle. 
This curious shifting of the origins and insertion of these muscles has given rise to the 
perplexing multiplication of names which meets us in the literature of this subject. It 
