1 62 ELEMENTS OF MAMMALIAN ANATOMY 



in company with the median vein of the elbow (v. medi- 

 ana ciibita). It passes to the ventroradial border of the 

 forearm and accompanies the cephalic vein and superficial 

 nerve to the wrist where it turns onto the dorsal side of 

 the hand, giving rise to the dorsal digital arteries of the 

 hand (Aa. digitales dorsales manus). The brachial artery- 

 after passing through the supracondyhoid foreman takes the 

 name of radial. 



The radial artery, which lies deep beneath the flexor muscles 

 on the caudal aspect of the proximal half of the radius (Fig. 

 80), becomes superficial along its distal half, where the vessel 

 is covered by skin and fascia only. In the region of the wrist, it 

 curves dorsad and then pierces between the second and third 

 metacarpals to the palmar side, where it sends branches to each 

 of the digits, and forms the palmar arch by anastomosing with 

 the ulnar artery beneath the flexor muscles. In addition to a 

 few small branches, the radial gives off the following: the 

 radial recurrens, supplying the concavity of the elbow; the 

 ulnar recurrens, supplying the convexity of the elbow; the 

 posterior interosseous, passing caudad between the radius and 

 the ulna to the extensor muscles; the anterior interosseous, 

 passing along the cranial side of the interosseous membrane; 

 the ulnar, extending beneath the flexor muscles, which it sup- 

 plies, to the palm, where it anastomoses with the radial to form 

 the palmar arch; and the volar branch, supplying the super- 

 ficial palmar region. The ulnar and arterior interosseous 

 frequently arise from the same trunk, as shown in the figure. 

 The ulnar artery in the cat is so small that it is frequently not 

 filled by the starch injection, but in man it is larger than the 

 radial. 



THE ARTERIES OF THE HIND-LIMB 



As in the forelimb, the branching of the arteries in the hind- 

 limb varies considerably in different specimens. The main 

 artery of the leg lies on the ventral or medial aspect of the femur, 



