202 THE ARTISTIC ANATOMY OF ANIMALS 



how it has been sometimes regarded, and to what portion 

 of the muscular system in man it corresponds. But we 

 believe that it is better to see beforehand, without any pre- 

 conceived idea, how these two parts are arranged. 



In the dog, the anterior portion of the gluteus maximus 

 arises from the sacrum, while some fibres situated further 

 forward arise from the surface of the gluteus medius, near the 

 ihac spine, and from the tensor of the fascia lata with which 

 these fibres are blended. The posterior portion, united to 

 the preceding — that is lo say, to those of its fibres which 

 arise from the sacrum — takes its origin from the lirst 

 coccygeal vertebra. These two portions are directed 

 towards the femur, to be inserted into the great trochanter, 

 and to the external branch of the superior bifurcation of 

 the linea aspera. 



In the cat, the posterior bundle is less definitely blended 

 with the anterior. By a long and slender tendon which, 

 behind, turns around the great trochanter, and passes along 

 the surface of the fascia lata, it proceeds to join the knee-cap. 



In the pig, the posterior portion is much more de- 

 veloped. 



In the horse, the anterior portion arises from the internal 

 iliac spine (posterior in man), from the external iliac spine 

 (anterior in man), and, between these two osseous points, 

 from the aponeurosis, which covers the gluteus medius. 

 Between these two origins the muscle is deeply grooved, 

 so that the tendency is to divide into two portions, each of 

 which is directed towards one of the iliac angles. In this 

 groove the gluteus medius is to be seen. 



The fleshy bundles converge, and are directed towards the 

 external aspect of the femur, to be inserted into the osseous 

 prominence known as the third trochanter, after passing 

 beneath the fleshy fibres of the posterior portion. The 

 latter, which is more considerable than the preceding por- 

 tion, arises above from the sacral crest, from the aponeurosis 

 which envelops the coccygeal muscles, from the sacro- 

 sciatic ligament, and from the tuberosity of the ischium. 

 From this origin it passes downwards, expands, then, 

 describing a curve with the convexity behind, it becomes 



