MUSCLES ON THE ANTEKIOK ASPECT OF THE THIGH. 409 



muscles are in addition connected with the collateral ligaments of the patella. The 

 patella, indeed, is in one sense a sesamoid bone formed in the tendon of the muscle, 

 the ligamentum patellae 'being the real tendon of insertion, and the collateral 

 ligaments fascial expansions from its borders. The insertion of the muscle forms 

 the anterior part of the capsule of the knee-joint. 



Middle arcuate ligament 



Vena caval opening 



OZsophageal opening in diaphragm 



Aortic opening ^ 



Anterior ramus 

 of twelfth 



thoracic nerve 

 Quadratus 

 lumborum 



lio-hypogastric_ 

 nerve 



Ilio-inguinal- 



Lateral 



ataneous nerve- 

 of thigh 



Femoral nerve 



3enito-femoral 

 nerve 5 



bturator nerve- 



I lending branch 

 fourth lumbar'" 



nerve 



interior ram 

 )f fifth lumbar 

 nerve. 



. ( Medial and 

 ! lateral lumbo- 

 . I. costal arches 

 Ant. ramus of twelfth 



ic nerve 

 .Quadratus 

 lumborum 

 -Ilio-hypogastric 

 nerve 

 -Ilio-inguinal 



Psoas major 

 Gen ito- femoral 



Lateral 



.cutaneous nerve 

 of thigh 



Obturator nerve 



FIG. 364. THE VESSELS AND NERVES ON THE POSTERIOR ABDOMINAL WALL. 



Nerve-Supply. The parts of the quadriceps extensor are supplied by separate branches of 

 the femoral nerve (L. 3. 4.). 



Actions. The quadriceps muscle is the great extensor of the leg at the knee-joint. The 

 articularis genu draws proximally the synovial sheath of the joint during this movement. 



The rectus femoris is in addition a flexor of the hip-joint. The straight head acts when 

 the movement begins ; the reflected 'head is tightened when the thigh becomes bent. 



The ilio-psoas muscle is a compound muscle, consisting of two elements, 

 psoas (major and minor), connecting the femur and pelvic girdle to the axial 



