MUSCLES OF THE POSTERIOR LIMBS. 355 



Second Layer. 

 3. Pectineus (Fig. 195, 11). 



Synonyms. — Superpubio-femoralis — Girard. Its anterior branch corresponds to the pectineus, 

 and the posterior to the middle adductor, in Man. (^Anterior pubio-jemoralis — Leyh.) 



Situation — Direction — Form. — Situated beneath the preceding, in an oblique 

 direction downwards, forwards, and outwards, this muscle is conoid, thick, and 

 bifid at its superior extremity, contracted at its inferior extremity. 



Structure and Attachments. — Its fasciculi arise either from the anterior border 

 and inferior surface of the pubis, or from the surface of the pubio-femoral liga- 

 ment, which passes between its two hranches—Jixed insertion. They are enveloped, 

 at their inferior extremity, by a tendinous cone, which is attached, on the inner 

 aspect of the femur, to the imprints surrounding the nutrient foramen — movable 

 insertion. 



Belations. — Inwards, with the short adductor of the leg ; outwards and 

 forwards, with the femoral insertion of the psoas magnus and iliacus, the vastus 

 internus, the crural vessels, and the sartorius ; behind, with the gracilis, and, 

 near its superior extremity, with the obturator externus. 



Action. — This muscle is an adductor and flexor of the thigh, and more par- 

 ticularly a rotator inwards of the same femur. 



4. Small Adductor of the Thigh (Adductor Parvus, Adductor Brevis) 



(Figs. 195, 12' ; 203, 14). 



Synonyms. — The anterior portion of the biceps femoralis of Bourgelat, and of the subpubio- 

 femoralis of Girard.' (Middle pubio-femornlis of Leyh. A portion of the adductores femoris 

 of Percivall, and which he has named the adductor brevis.) 



Situation — Direction. — Situated beneath the gracilis, between the pectineus 

 and the adductor magnus ; it passes in an oblique direction downwards and 

 outwards. 



Form — Structure. — It is flat from before backwards, thick and narrow at its 

 upper extremity, thin and wide inferiorly. Its muscular fibres are of a pale-red 

 colour, nearly parallel to each other, and sometimes very indistinct — superficially, 

 at least — from those belonging to the adductor magnus ; inferiorly, they become 

 aponeurotic. 



Attachments. — Above, to the inferior face of the pubis —origin ; below, to the 

 roughened quadrilateral surface on the posterior and middle aspect of the femur, 

 in common with the short branch of the adductor magnus — termination. 



'Relations. — Inwards, with tlie gracilis ; outwards, with the obturator 

 externus ; in front, with the pectineus ; behind, with the adductor magnus. 



5. Great Adductor of the Thigh (Adductor Magnus, Adductor Longus) 



(Fig. 195, 12) 



Synonyms. — Posterior portion of the biceps femoralis of Bourgelat, and of the subpubio- 

 femoralis of Girard. (Posterior pubio-femoralis — Leyh.) 



Situation — Direction. — The great adductor is situated beneath the preceding 



* After mature deliberation, we have decided on describing as two muscles the biceps 

 femoralis of Bourgelat. and to give to them the names of small and great adductors of the thigh, 

 by which Bichat has designated the corresponding muscles in the lower extremity of Man. We 

 have thought it our duty, in this instance, to follow the example given us by several German 

 authors. 



