

EXTERNAL POPLITEAL. 661 



and metatarsus; and four digital branches. These pierce the plantar fascia in 

 the clefts between the toes, and are distributed in the following manner : The 

 first supplies the inner border of the great toe, and sends a filament to the 

 Flexor Brevis Pollicis muscle; the second bifurcates, to supply the adjacent 

 sides of the great and second toes, sending a filament to the first Lumbrical 

 muscle; the third digital branch supplies the adjacent sides of the second and 

 third toes, and the second Lumbrical muscle ; the fourth supplies the corre- 

 sponding sides of the third and fourth toes, and receives a communicating 

 branch from the external plantar nerve. It will be observed, that the distri- 

 bution of these branches is precisely similar to that of the median nerve in 

 the hand. Each digital nerve gives off cutaneous and articular filaments ; and 

 opposite the last phalanx sends a dorsal branch, which supplies the structures 

 round the nail, the continuation of the nerve being distributed to the ball of 

 the toe. 



The external plantar nerve, the smaller of the two, completes the nervous 

 supply to the structures of the foot, being distributed to the little toe and one- 

 half of the fourth, as well as to most of the deep muscles, its distribution being 

 similar to that of the ulnar in the hand. It passes obliquely forwards with the 

 external plantar artery to the outer side of the foot, lying between the Flexor 

 Brevis Digitorum and Flexor Accessorius; and, in the interval between the 

 former muscle and Abductor Minimi Digiti, divides into a superficial and a 

 deep branch. Before its division, it supplies the Flexor Accessorius and 

 Abductor Minimi Digiti. 



The superficial branch separates into two digital nerves ; -one, the smaller of 

 the two, supplies the outer side of the little toe, the Flexor Brevis Minimi 

 Digiti, and the two interosseous muscles of the fourth metatarsal space ; the 

 other, and larger digital branch, supplies the adjoining sides of the fourth and 

 fifth toes, and communicates with the internal plantar nerve. 



The deep or muscular branch accompanies the external plantar artery into the 

 deep part of the sole of the foot, beneath the tendons of the flexor muscles and 

 Adductor Pollicis, and supplies all the Interossei (except those in the fourth 

 metatarsal space), the two outer Lumbricales, the Adductor Pollicis, and the 

 Transversus Pedis. 



The External Popliteal or Peroneal Nerve (Fig. 358), about one-half the size 

 of the internal popliteal, descends obliquely along the outer side of the popliteal 

 space to the fibula, close to the margin of the Biceps muscle. It is easily felt 

 beneath the skin behind the head of the fibula, at the inner side of the tendon 

 of the Biceps. About an inch below the head of the fibula it pierces the origin 

 of the Peroneus Longus, and divides beneath that muscle into the anterior 

 tibial and musculo-cutaneous nerves. 



The branches of the peroneal nerve, previous to its division, are articular and 

 cutaneous. 



The articular branches, two in number, accompany the superior and inferior 

 external articular arteries to the outer side of the knee. The upper one occa- 

 sionally arises from the great sciatic nerve before its bifurcation. A third 

 (recurrent) articular nerve is given off at the point of division of the peroneal 

 nerve ; it ascends with the tibial recurrent artery through the Tibialis Anticus 

 muscle to the front of the knee, which it supplies. 



The cutaneous branches, two or three in number, supply the integument along 

 the back part and outer side of the leg, as far as its middle or lower part ; one 

 of these, larger than the rest, the communicans peronei, arises near the head of 

 the fibula, crosses the external head of the Gastrocnemius to the middle of the 

 leg, and joins with the external saphenous. This nerve occasionally exists as 

 a separate branch, which is continued down as far as the heel. 



The Anterior Tibial Nerve (Fig. 856) commences at the bifurcation of the 

 peroneal nerve, between the fibula and upper part of the Peroneus Longus, 

 passes obliquely forwards beneath the Extensor Longus Digitorum to the fore 



