NERVOUS SYSTEM. 355 



tion, their branches and ultimate destination are the same on 

 either side. Their branches are — 1. Filaments dispersed upon 

 the flexor tendons. 2. A large and important branch that comes 

 off just above the fetlock-joint, and runs obliquely forward, and 

 distributes its ramifications to the outward and fore part of the 

 pasterns, and then ramifies upon the coronet. 



The plantar nerve detaches — 1. A branch opposite to the fet- 

 lock-joint, that runs, before the trunk, directly to the lateral car- 

 tilage, over which its divisions are dispersed. 2. A large branch 

 from the posterior part of the trunk, just before it dips behind the 

 cartilage, which passes backward, and sends its filaments into 

 the fatty frog. 3. Behind the cartilage comes off a branch that 

 winds forward through a foramen in the ala of the coffin-bone, to 

 go to supply the laminae. The trunk then enters the foramen in 

 the posterior concavity of the coffin-bone, in company with the 

 plantar artery, and there divides, and distributes its ultimate 

 branches through the foramina around its edge to the sole. 



NERVES OF THE HIND EXTREMITY. 



The following nerves owe their formation to the concurrence 

 and union of several of the lumbar and sacral nerves, in a way 

 that has already been pointed out: nevertheless, in commencing 

 the descriptions of them individually, I shall again briefly revert 

 to the manner in which they are constituted. 



The CRURAL NERVE is derived partly from the second, but 

 principally from the third, fourth, and fifth lumbar nerves. It 

 is concealed at its origin by the psose muscles ; shortly after- 

 wards, however, it makes its appearance under the last trans- 

 verse process of the loins, which it crosses obhquely, and pro- 

 ceeds directly backward, in a line with the external iliac artery, 

 to the outward side of, and rather higher than, the vessel, but 

 not in contact with it. In crossing the tendinous and fleshy in- 

 sertions of the psoas magnus and iliacus, it splits into several 

 parts, and these plunge into the thigh between the rectus and 

 vastus internus, distributing their branches laterally to them and 

 to the vastus externus behind them. Its branches are — 1. Which 

 comes off at its root and runs still more obliquely outward than 

 the trunk, and distributes its filaments to th^ iliacus, psoas 

 magnus, and pectineus. 2. The most considerable and import- 

 ant branch takes its course along with the trunk, between it and 

 the artery; but, instead of leaving the vessel, continues to ac- 

 company it for a short distance below the pubes; it then strikes 

 forward upon the faschia lata, and divides into two cutaneous 

 filaments: of which, one runs into the stifle and ends in ramifi- 

 cations upon the fore part oi' the thigh ; the other is continued 



