anatomy of the horse. 
426 
superficial concavities, named the fossse antea et postea spinatae, 
by the spine, a longitudinal eminence arising gradually from the 
superior border, and terminating imperceptibly in the neck, the 
smooth contracted part above the lower extremity of the bone : 
the posterior is thrice as large as the anterior fossa; the one giv¬ 
ing attachment to the antea spinatus, the other to the postea 
spinatus muscle ; and the spine to the trapezius. In the poste¬ 
rior fossa, about where it joins the cervix scapulae, is the medullary 
foramen, directed downward.— The internal surface, also called 
the venter scapulae, and sometimes the subscapular fossa, is 
smooth, though uneven, being excavated in the middle, flattened 
laterally and inferioiiy, and is marked by the attachment of 
muscles: in the middle, and principally by the subscapularis; 
around the posterior angle by the teres major; superiorly by the 
serratus magnus ; still higher, along the border, by the rhom- 
boidei. 
Borders. —The superior, nearly straight, but little more than 
half the length of the lateral, is thick, and presents a grooved 
scabrous summit, into which is fixed the cartilage of the scapula, 
forming a flexible plate of considerable breadth, diminishing in 
thickness as it ascends from the bone, and terminating in a thin 
convex edge, which is inclined inward.— The anterior border 
describes the figure of an inverted S. It is thin, and presents a 
sharp edge superiorly; below it grows obtuse and rounded, and 
terminates in the coracoid process, a rough hemispherical pro¬ 
minence, presenting in front of the shoulder-joint, to which is 
affixed the coraco brachialis and flexor brachii.— The posterior 
ior^Zer is-obtuse,-rounded,'and smooth, except that, inferiorly, 
there are some few unimportant asperities: it affords attachment 
to the teres minor and large head of the triceps exteiiwsor brachii. 
Angles.—^T he two superior are rectangular and shaip : the 
postero*superior has, externally, a prominence just below it, mark¬ 
ing the origin of Ihe teres major.— The iff odor angle is repre¬ 
sented, or, rather, has its place supplied, by the glenoid cavity— 
the smooth ovoid shallow cup, notched inwardly, formed for arti¬ 
culation with the head of the os humeri: it is rendered deeper by 
a marginal cartilage; and has around its boi'der inequalities and 
porosities, to which is fixed the capsular ligament. Between the 
glenoid cavity and-the coracoid process, internally, is an excava¬ 
tion, serving for a passage to the tendon of the subscapularis. 
Connexion. —The scapula is attached to the thorax by the 
several muscles passing between them ; also by two ligamentous 
fasciae. 
Development the very young subject, the comcoid pro¬ 
cess forms an epiphysis; in old age, the cartilage of the scapula 
takes on ossification. 
