THE FEMUR 55 



passes superiorly insensibly into the anterior surface of the shaft of the 

 bone. Superiorly the articular surface of the trochlea is bounded by a 

 faint, roughened, irregular line which indicates the attachment of the 

 femoro-patellar capsular ligament. 



The excentric surface of each ridge is roughened, and to these 

 surfaces the outer and inner lateral patellar ligaments are attached. 



The condyles are two large ovoid eminences. The inferior aspect of 

 each is convex in the antero-posterior and transverse directions, and is 

 smooth for articulation with the upper surface of the fibro-cartilaginous 

 disc which lies on the superior surface of the corresponding tuberosity of 

 the tibia. The excentric surface of each condyle is roughened. That of 

 the inner condyle presents a well-defined, roughened tubercle, to which is 

 attached the internal lateral ligament of the stifle. The external surface 

 of the outer condyle presents two shallow pits. To the upper pit the 

 external lateral ligament of the stifle is attached, whilst from the lower 

 the tendon of origin of the popliteus muscle arises. The condyles are 

 separated from one another by a deep furrow or trench. This is the 

 intercondyloid groove. It is roughened and non-articular. Placed 

 posteriorly on the surface of the outer condyle which bounds the groove, 

 is a deep pit which indicates the superior attachment of the anterior 

 crucial ligament. At the posterior extremity of the groove, and towards 

 the inner condyle, is a much smaller and shallower pit. To this is 

 attached the femoral coronary ligament which is the additional slip from 

 the outer fibro-cartilaginous disc. The posterior crucial ligament is 

 attached near the anterior end of the groove and to the internal condyle. 

 Into the groove, in the articulated joint, the spine of the tibia projects. 



The femur has the three usual centres of ossification of a long bone, 

 one for the shaft and one for each extremity. There is an additional 

 centre, however, from which the great trochanter ossifies. 



