BONES OF THE HIND LIMB 



201 



BONES OF THE HIND LIMB 



The bones comprised in this region are the femur or thigh-bone, the 

 patella or knee-cap, and the tibia and fibula. Then come the bones of tlie 

 hock, the astragalus, calcis, cuneiform 

 magnum, cuneiform medium, cunei- 

 form parvum, and cuboid. The bones 

 below the hock are the same as those 

 already described in speaking of the 

 fore extremity — the three metatarsal, 

 suffraginis, two sesamoid, coronse, pedis, 

 and naviculare. 



Os Femoris or Thigh-Bone (figs. 



308, 309). — This is a large, thick, 

 strong bone, extending obliquely down- 

 ward and forward from the hip-joint 

 above to the stifle-joint below. The 

 shaft presents a number of roughened 

 places for the attachment of muscles. 

 For the same purpose there are also 

 several bony prominences and ridges, 

 notably the trochanter minor externus 

 on the upper third of the outer sur- 

 face, the trochanter minor interims 

 near the upper third of the inner sur- 

 face. 



The superior extremity is formed 

 by the head, a rounded projection 

 which fits into the acetabulum or cup 

 in the innominate bone to form the 

 hip-joint, and on the outer side of 

 this a considerable eminence {t7-o- 

 chanter major) for the attachment of 

 some of the large muscles of the croup. 

 Behind and below the trochanter 

 major a somewhat deep cavity exists, 

 called the trochcmteric fossa, into which some smaller muscles are inserted. 



The lower extremity presents four large prominences — two behind, the 

 condyles, which are separated by a deep notch {inter-condyloid fossa), and 

 two in front, the trochlea, with which the patella articulates. Above the 



Fig. 308. — Os Femoris (Anterior Aspect) 



' Head. ^ Internal Trochanter. ^ * Tuberosities 

 for Ligamentous Insertion. ^ Internal and Ex- 

 ternal Trochlea. ^ Trochanter Minor Externus. 

 ^ Great Trochanter, 



