286 THE SKELETON. 



the base of the trochanter with the outer surface of the shaft; it is marked by a 

 rough, prominent, slightly curved ridge, which gives attachment to the upper 

 part of the Vastus externus muscle. The anterior border is prominent, somewhat 

 irregular, as well as the surface of bone immediately below it ; it affords attach- 

 ment at its outer part to the Gluteus minimus. The posterior border is very 

 prominent, and appears as a free, rounded edge, which forms the back part of the 

 digital fossa. 



The Lesser Trochanter is a conical eminence which varies in size in different 

 subjects ; it projects from the lower and back part of the base of the neck. Its 

 base is triangular, and connected with the adjacent parts of the bone by three 

 well-marked borders : two of these are above the internal continuous with the 

 lower border of the neck, the external with the posterior intertrochanteric line 

 while the inferior border is continuous with the middle division of the linea 

 aspera, Its summit, which is directed inward and backward, is rough, and 

 gives insertion to the tendon of the Psoas magnus. The Iliacus is inserted into 

 the shaft below the lesser trochanter between the Vastus internus in front and 

 the Pectineus behind. 



A well-marked prominence of variable size, which projects from the upper and 

 front part of the neck at its junction with the great trochanter, is called the tubercle 

 of the femur ; it is the point of meeting of the Gluteus minimus externally and above, 

 and the Vastus externus below. Running obliquely downward and inward from 

 the tubercle is the spiral line of the femur, or anterior intertrochanteric line ; it 

 winds round the inner side of the shaft, below the lesser trochanter, and termi- 

 nates in the linea aspera, about two inches below this eminence. Its upper half 

 is rough, and affords attachment to the capsular ligament of the hip-joint ; its 

 lower half is less prominent, and gives attachment to the upper part of the Vastus 

 internus. Running obliquely downward and inward from the summit of the 

 great trochanter on the posterior surface of the neck is a very prominent, well- 

 marked ridge, the posterior intertrochanteric line. Its upper half forms the 

 posterior border of the great trochanter, and its lower half runs downward and 

 inward across the neck of the bone to the upper and back part of the lesser 

 trochanter. A slight ridge sometimes commences about the middle of the 

 posterior intertrochanteric line, and passes vertically downward for about two 

 inches along the back part of the shaft : it is called the linea quadrati, and gives 

 attachment to the Quadratus femoris and a few fibres of the Adductor magnus 

 muscles. 1 



The Shaft, almost cylindrical in form, is a little broader above than in the 

 centre, and somewhat flattened below, from before backward. It is slightly 

 arched, so as to be convex in front and concave behind, where it is strengthened 

 by a prominent longitudinal ridge, the linea aspera. It presents for examination 

 three borders, separating three surfaces. Of the three borders, one, the linea 

 aspera, is posterior ; the other two are placed laterally. 



The linea aspera (Fig. 214) is a prominent longitudinal ridge or crest, on the 

 middle third of the bone, presenting an external lip, an internal lip, and a rough 

 intermediate space. Above, this crest is prolonged by three ridges. The most 

 external one is very rough, and is continued almost vertically upward to the base 

 of the great trochanter. It is sometimes termed the gluteal ridge, and gives attach- 

 ment to part of the Gluteus maximus muscle ; its upper part is often elongated into 

 a roughened crest, on which is a more or less well-marked, rounded tubercle, a rudi- 

 mental third trochanter. The middle ridge, the least distinct, is continued to the base 

 of the trochanter minor, and the internal one is lost above in the spiral line of the 

 femur. Below, the linea aspera is prolonged by two ridges, which enclose between 

 them a triangular space, the popliteal surface. Of these two ridges, the outer one 

 is the more prominent, and descends to the summit of the outer condyle (external 



1 Generally there is merely a slight thickening about the centre of the intertrochanteric line, 

 marking the point of attachment of the Quadratus femoris. This is termed by some anatomists the 



tubercle of the Quadratus. 



