MAMMALIA. 225 



posterior caudal nerve, which also sends off branches to the posterior muscles 

 and skin of the tail. 



14. Anterior crural nerve ; it passes between fibres of the iliac muscle, then under 



Poupart's ligament at the inner side of the sartorius, it gives branches to 

 this, the straight muscle, the external and internal vast muscles, and the 

 crural, and sends off the saphenus, which descends across the thigh to the 

 inner part of the leg, communicates with a filament from the obturator, 

 and is continued to the foot, giving filaments in its course to the fascia 

 and skin. 



15. Obturator nerve ; on emerging from the pelvis it gives branches to the pecti- 



neal muscle, the triceps and gracile, and sends a branch to communicate with 

 the saphenus nerve ; several fine branches pass down on the inner side of the 

 thigh for the fascia and integuments. 



16. Sciatic nerve; on emerging from the pelvis it communicates with the internal 



pudendal ; it sends a branch to the internal obturator muscle, and one which 

 gives a filament to the upper portion of the geminous, and then passes behind 

 the tendon of the internal obturator to the lower portion of the geminous and 

 square muscles; the sciatic passes close to the insertion of the internal 

 obturator muscle, and upon or behind the geminous and square muscles, then 

 behind the trochanter covered by the origin of the biceps to which it gives a 

 branch ; it sends off a large branch which divides into others for the semi- 

 membranous and semi-tendinous muscles. About the middle of the thigh it 

 separates into the posterior tibial and peroneal nerves. 



17. Posterior tibial nerve ; it sends off a long slender branch which descends on the 



posterior part of the gastrocnemius muscle to the outer side of the leg, sends 

 a branch behind the tendon of Achilles to the posterior tibial nerve, and is 

 distributed on the skin at the outer side of the leg and heel. It then gives 

 branches to the gastrocnemius muscle, and passes between the heads of this 

 and gives branches to the flexor of the toes, the posterior tibial, and the long 

 flexor of the great toe ; it then passes down the leg on the inner side of the 

 tendon of Achilles, and. receives the branch from the long slender branch 

 sent underneath this tendon. It passes behind the inner condyle of the tibia, 



G G 



