

MUSCLES OF THE LEG. 459 



to the second bone of the small toe: this occurs when the lat- 

 ter is not supplied from the flexor brevis. 

 This muscle flexes the small toes, and extends the foot. 



The Flexor Longus Pollicis Pedis, 



Is a stout muscle formed of oblique fibres, and situated on the 

 back part of the fibula, at the outer side of the tibialis posticus. 

 It arises, by an acute, tendinous and fleshy beginning, from the 

 posterior flat surface of the fibula, commencing about three 

 inches from its head, and continuing almost to the ankle, 



The tendon of this muscle is large and round; it forms gra- 

 dually, and constitutes a facing to the posterior edge of the mus- 

 cle. It passes, through a superficial fossa of the tibia, at the 

 back of the ankle near its middle, and from thence through a 

 notch in the back edge of the astragalus, to the sole of the foot; 

 at the latter place it crosses the tendon of the flexor longus di- 

 gitorum, and gives off to it the branch just mentioned, which 

 goes, principally, to the second toe. This tendon is deeper 

 seated in the foot than the other. 



The tendon of the flexor longus pollicis is inserted into the 

 last phalanx of the great toe. 



It bends the great toe, and from its connexion with the others 

 will bend them also. A bursa invests its tendon in the canal 

 of the astragalus, and along the os calcis; another, as stated, is 

 common to it and the last muscle; and a third invests the ten- 

 don along the metatarsal bone, and the first phalanx of the great 

 toe.* 



The Tibialis Posticus, 



Is placed between, and concealed by the last two muscles. It 

 arises by a narrow fleshy beginning, from the front of the tibia, 

 at the under surface of the process which joins it to the fibula, 

 and then gets to the back of the leg through the hole in the up- 

 per part of the interosseous ligament. It continues its origin 

 from the whole of the interosseous ligament, and from the sur- 



* The variations in this muscle consist, principally, in the manner of distri- 

 buting its tendon to that of the small toes, and frequently this connexion is defi- 

 cient. 



