The Sternum

This is long, laterally compressed, and consists of eight sternebræ, which fuse only in exceptional cases and in extreme old age. The first segment is the longest; its anterior end is blunt-pointed and bears a short conical cartilage. It widens at the point of articulation of the first pair of cartilages. The last segment is also long, thinner than its predecessors, wide in front, and narrow behind, where it bears a narrow xiphoid cartilage.

The thorax is distinctly barrel-like and is not decidedly compressed anteriorly like that of the horse and ox. The inlet is oval and is relatively wide on account of the marked curvature of the first pair of ribs and cartilages.