The Solidungula forra a connecting pelvic link between the foregoing and the Rumi nants.
The sacrum of the Horse is flat, not curved longitudinally so much as in Ruminants, and placed in the line of the dorsal curve. It is moderately broad between the ilia, but narrows suddenly posteriorly, and reaches as far backwards as the middle of the ischia. This is the same position as in the Pachyderms proper ; but in the Ruminants, whose pelves are more oblique, the sacrum scarcely reaches to the symphysis pubis, as is seen in the pelvis of the Ox (fig. 97.). The sacral pieces are six in number, two only articulating with the ilia, and the sacral spines are not united in a crest. The ilia approach in shape to those of the Tapir, being in a less marked degree T-shaped ; the posterior limb of flip iliaP wintra nrniprtino inwaids as far as the sacral spines ; the anterior superior spine often presenting an epiphysis, and the shaft being long and blade-like. The ischia are comparatively lonF, and much more slender than in the Ruminants, being placed nearly parallel with the coccygeal vertebra, and with prolonged tuberosities. The pubes are small and short, and directed a little forwards, as well as downward and inward, with a marked ilio-pectineal eminence, and a very long ischio pubic symphysis. The sciatic notch is wide, and the obturator foramen small. The an terior outlet is large and squarish, and the _ .
out almost directly inwards, forming an pubic angle of about 130° to 140°. The postenor elongated vertically and somewhat diamond shaped. Lumbo-iliac anee rather larger than that of the Tapir, being about 130'; 145°- and the i/iopubie about 130'; making the lumbo-pubic rather less than a right angle.
In the Ruminantia the sacrum is composed generally of four vertebrm, the two upper articulatim, with the ilia. In the Gazelle and Antelope:however, there are five, and in the common Stag only three. The sacrum is pro portionably broad, and more arched, both longitudinally and laterally, than in the pre ceding orders. The sacral promontory is also better marked, and the sacro-lumbar angle more perceptible. In the Ox, especially, this reaches to about 145° to 150°, and in the Fallow-deer 160°. The sacral spines are coalesced in a
perfect crest in the Ox, Fallow-deer, and Stag (fig. 96. a), and partially in the gigantic Irish deer, Gnu, and Equine antelope ; not so in the Giraffe and Camel. The caudal vertebrx are numerous.
The ilia are long, with the crest (c) concave, and the alm expanding laterally at the top, especially in the heavier Ruminants ; being concave internally, and convex externally, and projecting much over the dorsal surface of the spinal column, by the flattened and elong,ated posterior superior spine (b). They form little of the abdominal parietes, and are placed on the spine at an angle of 110° to 150°. The ischia are long and large, and placed on the ilia at an angle (c d e) of about 150° in the Deer and Sheep tribes, but much less in the heavier animals. This in creased length and size of the ischia is parti cularly marked in the Deer tribe ; and, as fulfilling the same mechanical requirements for affording a long and strong hold for the power ful extensor group of pelvic muscles, allies them with the Carnivora, and other springing animals afterwards to be considered.
The large and flattened tuberosities (e) project much on the dorsal surface of the pelvis. This is especially seen in the Fallow deer, common Stag, and Ox with a well marked lateral tubercle (g), which is also pre sent in the Gazelle and Roebuck. They present no ischial spine, except in the Lama, where it is well marked. The pubes are very short atal slender, and are directed from with ilio-pectineal spine is much marked in Red deer. Generally the ischia form part of the elongated symphysis f ).
In the Ox, the symphysis is not placed quite parallel to the spine, as is usually the case in the inferior animals ; but is placed obliquely, as in the human species, diverging more from the spine at the anterior than at the posterior extremity, and forming with it an angle of about 20°, and causing the anterior opening to be larger than the posterior (see fig. 97. f). The anterior opening is large and roundish, with a prevalence of the antero-posterior diameter. The posterior opening is more square, but irregular and looking much up wards.