76 THE DISEASES AND DISORDERS OF THE OX. 



of the left ventricle posteriorly. There are usually nine aortic 

 intercostals, and three anterior ones, i.e. twelve in all. The 

 cseliac axis reaches the rumen just behind the oesophagus. On 

 the left the artery of the reticulum is given off. It passes to the 

 left of the oesophagus, and divides into a superior and an inferior 

 branch. The splenic artery arises just behind this. Still 

 farther back arises the hepatic artery. It supplies the liver 

 and gall-bladder, and gives off the duodenal branch, which 

 anastomoses with the superior artery of the abomasum, and the 

 anterior mesenteric artery. The terminal branch of the cseliac 

 axis divides and forms the superior and inferior arteries of the 

 psalterium and abomasum. These pass along the surfaces of 

 these two stomachs, the superior artery anastomosing with the 

 duodenal artery. 



The superior and inferior arteries of the rumen run in the 

 longitudinal groove. The former usually arises from the splenic 

 artery, running backwards. The latter is generally given off by 

 the artery of the reticulum. It runs forwards and between the 

 anterior sacs to gain the inferior surface, where it passes back- 

 wards and reaches the grooves between the conical sacs, anas- 

 tomosing with the superior artery. 



The anterior mesenteric artery divides into two branches, an 

 anterior branch for the small intestine, and a posterior branch 

 for the large intestine. The former resembles that of the horse 

 in its distribution. The latter, instead of following the flexures 

 of the colon, gives off branches which cross them. The posterior 

 mesenteric artery is small. The middle sacral artery is very large 

 and gives off the arteries of the tail. It may be looked upon as 

 the continuation of the posterior aorta. The lateral sacral 

 arteries are somewhat rudimentary. In the smaller ruminants 

 the obturator and iliaco-femoral arteries are absent, and are re- 

 placed by branches from the deep femoral artery. In the ox these 

 arteries are rudimentary. The uterine artery is very large, and it 

 arises from a trunk which also gives rise to the umbilical artery. 



Of the arteries of the hind limb, the great metatarsal artery, 

 accompanied by two veins, occupies the mesian groove on the 

 front of the metatarsus, passes through the notch between the 

 distal articular surfaces, and gains the back of the digit, where 

 it is called the common digital artery. Above the distal ends of 

 the ossa suffraginis it divides into external and internal ungual 



