BOXES OF THE HIXD EXTREMITIES. 359" 



projection. The lower head is broad and thick, to join with 

 the next bones below forming the stifle-joint. The lower head 

 of the bone consists of two prominences, which are received 

 into corresponding depressions in the head of the next bone 

 below, and a hollow in front, over which the stifle, or knee-cap, 

 plays as over a pulley. At each side of the lower head is a 

 large projection, or prominence, called the condyles. They are 

 for the attachment of muscles. The direction of this bone is 

 downward and forward. The length of the projection of this 

 bone, back and above the hip-joint, is of the greatest import- 

 ance, for it is the point to which the great muscles, which throw 

 the animal forward, are attached. Its length gives power, 

 and will be known by the shape of the quarters, particularly 

 the degree of prominence at the turn of the ham. The cup- 

 like cavity in which the round head of ihQ femur rests is liable 

 to be fractured. The head may even be thrown out. 



The stifle-hone, knee-cap, knee-pan, or patella, is a bone cor- 

 responding to the knee-pan in man. It is placed in front of the 

 stifle-joint, and is held in place by ligaments. The tendons of 

 several important muscles are inserted into it. When the 

 horse is at rest it lies in a sort of groove at the upper part of 

 the joint, but when in motion, it moves downward and upward, 

 thus giving the muscles a great advantage of action. It gives 

 great strength to the stifle-joint, which it helps to form. 



The thigh-bones, as they are commonly but wrongly called, 

 are two — tlie tilia and flbula. They lie between the/emwr and 

 the hough-bones. They correspond to the leg-bones in man, 

 and it would be more accurate to call them leg-bones. 



The tibia is a long bone, having a large upper head and a 

 smaller lower head. The shaft is not round, but three-cor- 

 nered, the corner in front being rounded. The uj^per surface 

 of the head is marked by a sharp elevation^ from before back- 

 ward, on each side of which is a depression in which the cor- 

 responding portions of the thigh rests. The joint has forward 

 and backward motion. The lower head of the tibia is marked 



