342 
ANATOMY OF THE HORSE. 
joint, where many become intermingled with and lost in the 
adipose membrane thereabouts; while others, again, continue still 
lower, and vanish upon the faschia of the arm. 
The Thoracic Portion consists of a broad layer of fleshy 
fibies, extending from a little above the middle of the scapula in 
a direct line down upon the arm, into the faschia of which it is 
(together with the cervical portion) inserted; while, above, by 
means of an aponeurotic expansion, it is continued to be attach¬ 
ed to the spine. 
The Abdominal Portion forms a broad fleshy expansion; 
abstractedly viewed, ovoid in outline ; clothing the false ribs and 
lateral parts ol the abdomen; whose fibres, generally, run in a 
longitudinal plane, from before backwards, from the shoulder to 
the flank: as they approach this latter part, they converge, and 
finally become collected into a broad, thick, muscular^ band, 
which is included within the fold of skin forming the border of 
the flank, and ends upon the front of the haunch, interwoven 
with the faschia covering that part, by which it is fixed to the 
patella. Anteriorly, the abdominal is connected with the tho- 
lacic poition by an aponeurotic intervention; along its superior 
border, the faschia covering the back and loins attaches the 
muscle to the spine; inferiorly, it becomes gradually indistin¬ 
guishable from the faschia superficialis abdominis, with which it 
is blended, and through which it gets an attachment to the 
pubes. The spur-vein is seen ramifying, superficially, upon this 
portion of the muscle. 
Relations .—The strongest fibres of the panniculus are exhibit¬ 
ed by its abdominal portion : the palest and weakest are seen 
upon the face. Its cervical portion is in many places intimately 
blended with the levator humeri; and also with the pectoral 
muscles. The thoracic part envelopes the trapezius, rhomboidei, 
latissimus dorsi, and spinati muscles; the abdominal portion 
covers the external oblique muscle and its aponeurosis. 
Attachments .—Besides those already mentioned, it is loosely 
and partially connected, by cellular substance, with the several 
muscles and bones and ligaments which it immediately covers; 
but everywhere intimately and generally with the skin. 
Direction .—Upon the head its fibres ramify in an arborescent 
form ; upon the neck they take an oblique course; upon the 
shoulder they run in a perpendicular direction; upon the abdomen, 
in a horizontal line. 
Action. Ihe contractions of the panniculus throw the skin 
into folds or corrugations, transversely in the direction of its 
fibres; so that the one form right angles with the other. The 
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