



OS FEMORIS. 



743 



rough behind. The front is covered with muscles. The 

 posterior part presents a rough line running the length of 



FIG 240 



bone, called the linea as- 

 pera. This line has an exter- 

 nal and internal ridge. To 

 the former is attached the glu- 

 teus maximus, the short head 

 of the biceps, and the vastus 

 externus muscles ; to the lat- 

 ter the vastus internus, tri- 

 ceps, adductor, and pectineus. 

 These ridges widen below and 

 go to the condyles ; above they 

 lead to the trochanters. In 

 the linea aspera, about its 

 middle, is seen the foramen 

 for conducting the nutritious 

 artery. 



The superior extremity of 

 the femur presents a smooth, 

 rounded form, called the head. 

 It looks upward and inward, 

 and has a rough depression just below its centre for 

 the attachment of the ligamentum teres. Just below the 

 head, the bone contracts and forms the neck, which connects 

 with the body or shaft by an ang]e more or less obtuse, 

 varying according to the sex, being longer and more 

 oblique in the male than in the female. 



External to the neck there is a large process, called the 



FIG. 240, A represents an anterior view of the Femur, a Pit for attachj 

 ment of round ligament. 6 Head, c Neck, d Trochanter major, e Tro- 

 chanter minor. / Point of attachment of the capsular ligament, g Shaft or 

 body, h External condyle. i Internal condyle. j Point for the patella. 



FIG. 240, B represents a posterior view of the Femur, a Depression for 

 round ligament, b Head, c Pit for the rotatory muscles, d Trochanter 

 major, e Trochanter minor. / Point of attachment of tendon of gluteus 

 maximus. g g Linea-aspera. h Point of attachment for the gastrocnemiust 

 i External condyle. j Point of attachment of anterior crucial ligament, k 

 Depression for posterior crucial ligament. / Point of attachment of internal 

 lateral ligament. 



