THE LIMBS OF THE HOESE 159 



ligamentous band to an anterior intercondyloid fossa of the tibia. 

 Behind, the medial meniscus is fixed to the tibia by a ligament attached 

 to the posterior intercondyloid fossa. The lateral meniscus has two 

 posterior ligamentous attachments ; one band is attached in the 

 popliteal notch, the other, crossing the posterior cruciate ligament 

 obliquely, ends on the medial condyle of the femur. 



Dissection. — The articulation between the tibia and the fibula must 

 next be examined. The remains of all muscles attached to the fibula 

 and the adjacent part of the tibia must be cleaned away. 



The tibio-fibular articulation (articulatio tibio-fibularis), — In 

 those animals in which the fibula^ is developed throughout the whole 

 of its length two tibio-fibular joints — a proximal and a distal — are 

 present, and an interosseous membrane fills the gap between the two 

 bones of the leg. In the horse, a considerable portion of the fibula fails 

 to develop into bone, and the distal extremity fuses with the tibia. 

 A fibrous cord, joining the tapering end of the rudimentary shaft of the 

 fibula to the lateral malleolus, represents that portion of the bone which 

 has failed to develop. 



A strong, short joint-capsule (capsula articularis) binds the head of 

 the 'fibula so closely to the lateral condyle of the tibia as to prevent 

 anything but the smallest degree of movement. Not infrequently the 

 capsule ossifies in old age. An interosseous memhrane (membrana 

 interossea cruris) fills the space between the tibia and the fibula with 

 the exception of a short interval, close to the head of the fibula, through 

 which the anterior tibial vessels pass. 



Dissection. — Remove all tendons, etc., from the neighbourhood of 

 the tarsus. 



The tarsal articulations (articulationes tarsi). — The articulations 

 of the tarsus resemble those of the carpus in so far as they are 

 susceptible of a similar grouping. Unlike the carpal joints, however, 

 those of the tarsus — with one exception — are capable of very restricted 

 movement 



The joints included in the tarsal articulations are : (1) The talo- 

 crural- articulation (articulatio talo-cruralis), between the distal end of 

 the tibia and the trochlea of the talus (tibial tarsal bone) ; (2) the inter- 

 tarsal articulatio7is (articulationes intertarsea), between the rows of 

 tarsal bones ; (3) the interosseous articulations (articulationes interossea), 



1 Fibula [L.] [contraction of figibula, from Jigo, to fix or fasten], a clasp, pin, 

 buckle, or brace. 



2 Talus [L.], the ankle-bone of animals ; an oblong die used for gaming (originally 

 made from the ankle-bone of certain animals), rounded on two sides and marked on 

 the other four. Cms [L.], the leg or shin. 



