146 



ARTHROLOGY. 



ference of the cavity, but leaving a space for the passage of the 

 pubio-feinoral ligament. 



The binding ligaments of the joint are two — the round or 

 ligamentum teres, very short and strong, which arises from the 

 notch in the head of the femur, and is inserted in the fundus 

 acetabuli; the second is the pubio-femeral ligament, which 

 arises from the head of the femur, close by the round ligament ; 

 bound down by the transverse ligament, it passes through the 

 cotyloid notch and along the groove on the under side of the 

 pubis, meeting and crossing its fellow 

 at the symphysis, and becoming con- 

 tinuous with the abdominal fascia of 

 the opposite side ; thus the head of 

 the right femur is partially supported 

 in position by the muscles of the left 

 side, and vice versa. As it passes over 

 the pubis, a synovial bursa is inter- 

 posed. This ligament is peculiar to 

 the Equidse. The motion of the joint 

 is flexion, extension, abduction, adduc- 

 tion, rotation, and circumduction. 



STIFLE JOINT. 



Fig. 62. 



Ligaments of the stifle joint — 

 antero-internal aspect, a. Internal 

 lateral femoro-tibial ligament ; h, In- 

 ternal lateral patellar ligament; c, 

 Internal, d, Middle, and «, External 

 straight patellar ligaments. 



The Femoro-tibial articulation, a 

 compound ginglymus, is formed by the 

 trochlea and condyles of the femur, the 

 tibia, and patella. The ligaments con- 

 sist of two groups, the femoro-tibial 

 and the patellar. 



Patellar Group. — The capsular 

 ligament, which is attached round the trochlea of the femur, and thp 

 articular surface of the patella, is capacious, alloAving considerable 

 motion in the joint. The lateral ligaments, internal and external, 

 arise from the lateral aspects of the femur, just above the condyles, 

 and are inserted to the corresponding surfaces of the patella, the ex- 

 ternal being the larger; they may be regarded as thickened portions 

 of the capsular ligament. The three straight ligaments, external, 

 middle, and internal, arise from the antero-inferior surface of 

 the patella, and are inserted to the anterior aspect of the 

 tuberosity of the tibia, the middle one occupying the small fossa. 



