172 THE SALAMANDER 



This nerve passes into the leg penetrating the M. pub. isch. fern, 

 int. to which it gives a few fine twigs. Just before entering the 

 muscle it gives off a branch to the anterior portion of the M. extensor 

 iliotibialis (e.il.t.'). The nerve takes a rather winding course in the 

 thigh, at first turning sharply posteriorly so as to lie close to the proxi- 

 mal end of the femur on its dorsal side. It then turns right round and 

 proceeds along the limb, winding itself around the femur so that it 

 lies directly anterior to it at the knee. At the antero-dorsal aspect 

 of this joint the nerve becomes superficial to the muscles, emerging 

 between the M. pub. isch. fern. int. and the M. pubo-tibialis, i.e. 

 dorsal to the latter muscle. Several cutaneous branches arise in this 

 region which Hoffmann takes to represent the A^. cutaneus femoris 

 internus {saphenus minor) (n.c.fm.i.). 



The nerve then continues along the antero-dorsal border of the 

 leg immediately under the skin as: 



N. dorsalis -pedis tibialis (n.d.p.t.). Sieglbaur (1904); Humphry 



(1871). 



N. saphenus .... Osawa (1902); Ribbing (1908). 



Just distal to the knee the nerve gives a small twig to the M. exten- 

 sor cruris tibialis (e.t.t.), and, at about a third of the distance between 

 the knee and the ankle, another branch penetrates the same muscle. 

 A considerable proportion of this branch is cutaneous and passes 

 right through the muscle to reappear near the middle line on the 

 dorsum of the leg, but a number of fibres do actually terminate 

 within the muscle itself. 



Ribbing (1908) was the first to call attention to the motor-fibres 

 in the N, dors. ped. tib. (his N. saphenus), and they are not common 

 to all Urodeles. 



Numerous cutaneous branches are given off to the skin on the 

 mesial and dorsal sides of the leg and foot. 



At the base of the first digit the nerve divides, one twig — N. digi- 

 talis dorsalis i (n.d.d.i) — passing along the pre-axial side of the first 

 toe, while the other crosses the base of the digit dorsally and then 

 divides into two so as to supply the adjoining sides of the first two 

 digits — NN. digit, dors, i and 2. 



The relations of the N. femoralis vary considerably in different 

 specimens, and particularly with regard to the point at which it 

 emerges from the thigh muscles. This usually occurs at the knee 

 as described, while it may emerge much nearer the body, but in any 

 case its course through the thigh forms a half-spiral turn. The 



