38 THE CIRCULATORY SYSTEM. 



b. A. glutea superior (Fig. 126, /). This passes dorso- 

 laterad from the hypogastric and reaches the pelvic wall against 

 the medial surface of the ilium. Here it divides into two 

 branches. One passes between the iliopsoas muscle and the 

 ventral border of the ilium to the medial surface of the gluteus 

 maximus; it gives branches to the gluteus muscles, the pyri- 

 formis, and the rectus femoris. The other branch passes dorsad 

 of the ilium, sending a branch to the medial surface of the 

 gluteus medius, and a small branch which joins the lateral 

 sacral artery and enters thus the sacral canal. 



c. A. hemorrhoidalis media (Fig. 126, r). The middle 

 hemorrhoidal passes ventrad from the hypogastric, onto the 

 lateral surface of the rectum. It passes caudad near the ventral 

 side of the rectum as far as the anus. A short distance from the 

 origin it gives off a branch which passes almost directly ventrad 

 toward the beginning of the urethra. In the male this branch 

 is small, sending twigs to the urethra and the prostate. In 

 the female it is much larger, forming A. uterina (Fig. 112, 3, 

 page 265). The uterine artery turns craniad onto the uterus, 

 which it supplies, passing to the cranial end of the uterine 

 cornu and anastomosing with the ovarian artery. 



The middle hemorrhoidal gives off in the female branches 

 to the vagina (Fig. 112, ;;/) and neck of the bladder (^), and 

 a large branch to the urogenital sinus (;z) ; it then supplies the 

 anal glands and other structures about the anus, and anas- 

 tomoses with the terminal branches of the hemorrhoidalis 

 superior. In the male branchlets are given to the urethra, to 

 the bulbourethral (or Cowper's) gland, and to the penis. The 

 A. dorsalis penis is a small branch which passes along the 

 median dorsal groove of the penis to the glans. The middle 

 hemorrhoidal then supplies the structures about the anus and 

 anastomoses with the superior hemorrhoidal, as in the female. 



d. A. glutea inferior (Fig. 126, q). This is the terminal 

 portion of the hypogastric. It passes along with the great 

 sciatic nerve to the great sciatic notch, and reaches the medial 

 surface of M. pyriformis. It divides into branches which sup- 

 ply the gluteus and pyriformis muscles, while a small branch 

 accompanies the great sciatic nerve. A small branch also 



