Chap. 8.] <?bigb Bones* 121 



and after running Tome way, divides into two fmaller 

 ridges, which terminate at -the condyls *. 



The head of the os femoris is nearly round, and is 

 marked in the center with a round pit, into which a 

 ligament, which ferved to keep it fixed in the focker, 

 was inferted. The neck is narrower above and thicker 

 below, and is terminated by a ridge, to which ths 

 capfular ligament of the joint was attached. Below 

 this ridge are two remarkable proceffes called the tro- 

 chanters. The larger of the trochanters is directed 

 putwards, and is placed at the other fide of the thigh- 

 bone -, the other is placed behind, but points inwards. 

 The furfaces of both the trochanters are very rough, 

 for the infertion of mufclcs From the mufcles in- 

 ferted into thefe two proceffes being the principal in- 

 flruments of the rotatory motions of the thigh, they 

 are called trochanters. 



The lower extremity cf the thigh-bone is thick, 

 and terminates in two condyls which are very clofe 

 to each other before, but confiderably removed be- 

 hind, where there is formed a fafe canal, through 

 which a large artery pafifes to arrive at the leg. Be- 

 hind are alfo two cavities which receive ligaments 

 crofling each other for ftrengthening the connec- 

 tion of the os femoris with the larger bone of the 

 leg. The os femoris is united to the trunk by tha.t 

 kind of joint which admits of motion in all directions; 

 but here this motion is in fome directions much li- 

 mited by the capfular ligament of the joint. The 

 fubftance of this bone, as of all the cylindrical 

 bones, is firm in the middle, and ipongy towards the 

 extremities. 



* By the word condjl is meant the large extremity of a bone, 

 refpmhling the knob of a clubbed ftick. 



' The 



