ABDOMINAL SPINAL NERVES. 509 



p aT t. The Cutaneus Interims Inferior, which arises just below 

 the last, and, descending upon the inner head of the gastrocne- 

 mius, is distributed to the integuments of the calf of the leg. 

 A large trunk, and sometimes, instead of it, distinct branches 

 which go to the Adductor Magnus, Semi-membranosus, Biceps 

 and Serni-tendinosus. 



The Peroneal Nerve (Nervus Peroneus) divides at the head 

 of the fibula into two branches, the Peroneus Externus and 

 the Tibialis Anterior; but, before this division, it sends a small 

 branch to the external parts of the knee-joint, and two cutnne- 

 ous branches called Peroneo-Cutaneous. The Internal Pero- 

 neo-Cutaneous descends behind the external head of the gas- 

 trocnemius, and, at the bottom of the leg, is united to a division 

 of the posterior tibial called the External Saphenus, or Commu- 

 nicans Tibiae. The External Peroneo- Cutaneous is distributed 

 to the skin, along the fibula. 



The External Peroneal Nerve (Peroneus Externus) gets be- 

 tween the head of the peroneus longus and the fibula, then be- 

 tween the peroneus longus and the extensor longus digitorum, 

 leaving filaments to these several muscles as it goes along. It 

 descends, at the outer edge of the last muscle, to the inferior 

 third of the leg, giving out, in the mean time, many muscular 

 branches. Here it penetrates the aponeurosis, and divides 

 jnto cutaneous branches, which supply the lower part of the 

 leg, and the upper surface of the foot and toes. This nerve is 

 called, by the French, the Musculo-Cutaneus of the leg. 



The Anterior Tibial Nerve (Tibialis Anterior) gets obliquely 

 between the fibula, the peroneus longus, and the extensor lon- 

 gus digitorum, to the front of the interosseous ligament, where 

 it accompanies the anterior tibial artery. It passes, with the 

 artery, under the annular ligament of the ankle, and has its 

 terminating filaments going to the muscles and integuments of 

 the upper surface of the foot, as far as the end of the first two 

 toes. One of its branches sinks down with the anterior tibial 

 artery to the sole of the foot. High up in the leg it sends fila- 

 ments to the knee-joint, and, in its course downwards, it fur- 

 nishes the muscle on the front of the leg. 



The Posterior Tibial, or Popliteal Nerve, (Ntrws Popli* 



44* 



