292 PROF. OWEN ON THE ANATOMY 
covered with a cushion of thick cartilage is continued from its posterior and upper 
part. 
The fibrous capsule of the hip-joint is very strong ; the synovial membrane is reflected 
from it upon the upper margin of the trochanter and upper part of the short neck of the 
femur ; and also upon the ligamentous bridge continued from the upper and extended 
margin of the acetabulum, to its anterior part. The ligamentum teres is very large, but 
short ; it consists of an infundibular process of synovial membrane, reflected from the 
circumference of the acetabular perforation to that of the depression on the head of the 
femur ; and this synovial sheath incloses two distinct ligaments, which are twisted about 
each other like the crucial ligaments of the knee-joint. One of the ligamentous bands 
passes from the upper margin of the acetabular perforation to the lower edge of the fe- 
moral depression ; the other comes off from the under part of the acetabular perforation, 
and winds round the back part of the preceding, to be inserted into the upper part of 
the femoral depression. 
The femur has the usual characters of that bone in the class of birds. Its small round 
head is supported on a very short and thick neck, placed at right angles to the great 
and single trochanter : it presents at its superior part a large depression for the strong 
and complex ligamentum teres. The shaft of the femur is slightly bent, with the con- 
vexity forwards, which is increased by a thickening at the anterior part of the middle 
of the shaft. The condyles are separated by a wide and deep groove anteriorly, and by a 
triangular depression behind. The outer one is the largest, and is grooved externally, 
for the articulation of the head of the fibula: the inferior compressed border of the con- 
dyle is wedged in between the tibia and fibula. The length of the femur is 3 ches 9 
lines. The tibia is five inches in length. Two angular and strong ridges are developed 
from the anterior part of the expanded head of the tibia ; the external one affords attach- 
ment to fascia, and to the expanded tendon of the rectus femoris latissimus : the internal 
ridge has affixed to it the ligament of the small cartilaginous patella. The knee-joint 
is remarkably complicated. The internal lateral ligament is broad and thin; it gives 
origin to part of the soleus, and is attached to the internal semilunar cartilage. This 
fibro-cartilage divides at its anterior extremity into three ligaments: of these one is 
broad and thick, and goes to the posterior surface of the rotular cartilage ; it represents 
the ligamentum mucosum ; the other two ligaments are inserted at the interspace of the 
condyles. Beneath the internal semilunar cartilage a very strong ligament arises from 
the inner edge of the tibia, and is also attached to the interspace of the condyles. A 
strong external lateral ligament extends between the outer condyle and the head of the 
fibula: beneath or within this there is a second ligament, which passes from the outer 
condyle to the external semilunar cartilage. A thick ligament extends from the anterior 
parts of this cartilage to the back part of the ligamentum patelle. From the back part 
of the external semilunar cartilage a posterior crucial ligament extends to the condyloid 
interspace ; lastly, a strong ligament arises from the fore part of the head of the tibia, 
