Stowell, Nerves in the Domestic Cat. 301 



the dorsal muscles and the integument of the tail. A large 

 anastomotic loop joins the ventral division of the third sacral 

 nerve just peripherad of the foramen of exit. A slender 

 branch is sometimes given as a distinct nerve to the overlying 

 M. gluteus maximus (Fig. M. gl. max.). 



THE THIRD SACRAL NERVE. 



T'he ventral division is the smallest of the sacral nerves; 

 it divides into ental and ectal branches. The cntal or deep 

 branch lies upon the ectal surface of the long levator ani 

 muscle (Fig. L. A.), to which it is distributed. The ectal 

 brajich joins the second sacral nerve in a large anastomotic 

 branch or loop^ and peripherad of this a smaller loop joins 

 the first coccygeal nerve (Fig. N. Coc.) and at the same 

 point gives off the second root of the N. coccygeus (Fig. N. 

 Coc). 



Principal Rami. — The nerve trunk divides into three 

 branches, which lie entad of the rami to the M. gluteus maxi- 

 mus and the W. obturator internus, already described. The 

 cephalic branch joins the N. ischiadicus at the origin of the. 

 sciatic root of the pudic nerve; the middle brancJi is the 

 sacral root of the pudic nerve; the caudal branch separates 

 into two rami, one of which is the sacral root of the N. glu- 

 teus (N. glut.), and the other forms, with a branch from the 

 first coccygeal nerve (q. v.) and a branch from the pudic, a 

 slender nerve to a ribband muscle (Fig. M?) described below 

 V. N. Coccygeus. 



N. GLUTEirS SUPERIOR. 



At the union of the lumbo-sacral cord with the first 

 sacral nerve to form the main trunk of the great sciatic, a 

 large branch, the superior gluteal nerve (N. gl. S.), is sent 

 laterad and bends over the dorsal border of the ilium just 

 cephalad of the acetabulum and entad of the MM. glutei. It 

 leaves the pelvis bv the great sciatic foramen, and 10 mm. 

 peripherad of its origin divides into three branches; the 



