414 ANGIOLOGY. 



than the subcutaneous abdominal branch, and ramifies in the 

 substance of the gland ; and as it dips between the thighs it 

 sends a twig along the perineum to the inferior commissure of 

 the vulva. 



The Arteria profunda femoris arises witb the prepubian at 

 the origin of the femoral. Some regard it as a bifurcation of the 

 iliac. It passes directly backwards between the iliacus and 

 pectineus, and over the obturator externus, gains the deep face 

 of the adductors, winds round the femur, supplying the hip joint 

 and adjacent muscles, and is lost in the biceps rotator tibialis and 

 triceps adductor femoris, anastomosing with branches of the 

 ischiatic and obturator arteries. 



The Arteria superficialis femoris arises nearly opposite to 

 ihe profunda, but runs outwards and forwards between the long 

 adductor and the common convergence of the psoas magnus and 

 iliacus towards their insertion ; giving twigs to them, it passes 

 between the vastus internus and rectus femoris, supplying the 

 crural triceps from the inside (compare the iliaco-femoral artery). 



The Small muscular arteries include a series of small in- 

 nominate branches supplying the neighbouring muscles, and given 

 off at intervals from the femoral; one of them sends a long 

 branch to the stifle joint, and one becomes the nutrient artery of 

 the femur. 



The Saphenic artery, a small vessel in the horse, arises from 

 about the middle of the femoral, and gains the subcutaneous 

 region inside the thigh, generally passing between the adductors 

 brevis and longus. Associated with the saphenic vein and its 

 radicals it divides into an anterior and posterior branch, the 

 latter descending and forming just above the tarsus a peculiar 

 anastomotic arch with the posterior tibial, and femoro-popliteal 

 .arteries 



popliteal artery. 



(Fig. 159. at e.) 



The popliteal artery is a continuation of the femoral, commenc- 

 ing between the heads of the gastrocnemius muscle; it passes 

 under the popliteus muscle, and at the upper part of the tibia 

 bifurcates into anterior and posterior tibial arteries. Its branches 

 are femoro-popliteal, articular and muscular. 



The Femoro-popliteal artery, given off just at the origin of 

 the popliteal, springs from its posterior aspect, and passes back- . 



