158 THE MYOLOGY OF THE RAVEN. 



and a delicate connective tissue binds them together." 

 (See 120 of Bihliogrwphy.) 



94. Tlie gluteus primus is the most superficial of all 

 the muscles of the thigh, and but requires the removal 

 of the skin to bring it into full view. It overlaps the 

 preceding muscle in front and a number of the deeper 

 ones behind. 



It arises by a thin fascia for nearly the entire length 

 of the supero-internal margin of the pre-acetabular portion 

 of the ilium, also from this bone above the anti tro- 

 chanter, and by a stronger origin from the entire length 

 of the postacetabular ridge. The anterior portion of the 

 muscle is thin and fascia-like, while behind it is better 

 developed. In front it forms a delicate covering to the 

 hinder moiety of the sartorius, and the body of the 

 gluteus medius ; behind, the biceps is the principal 

 muscle covered by it. From this long line of origin, the 

 fibres of this triangular muscle converge as they pass 

 downwards toward the patella, and just before reaching 

 that sesamoid they merge with the fibres of the extensor 

 femoris. 



The combined muscles then form an extensive, thin 

 aponeurosis, which spreads over the anterior aspect of 

 the knee, and is inserted into the crest of the cnemial 

 border of the tibia, the well-developed patella being found 

 in this aponeurotic ligament. 



In his earlier papers. Professor Garrod called this muscle 

 " tensor fasciw^' ; and Sir Richard Owen, speaking of it 

 in the Apteryx, says that " the most superficial of the 

 muscles on the outer side of the leg is that very broad one 

 which combines the functions of the tensor vagince and 

 rectus femoris, but which, in the opinion of Cuvier and 

 Meckel, is the homologue of the tensor vagincp. and gluteus 

 maximus (seu externusy (Anat. of Verts., vol. ii. p. 99). 



