MYOLOGY 225 



aspect of the tarsus, and is inserted into the rudimentary 

 bone which represents the first toe ; or, if this does not exist, 

 into the innermost of the metatarsal bones. 



This muscle is an extensor of the foot. It also rotates it 

 outwards in the animals in which the articulation permits 

 this latter movement. 



Peroneus Brevis (Fig. 83, 8 ; Fig. 83, 10 ; Fig. 84, 10 ; 

 Fig. 86, 6). — In the dog and the cat, this muscle is covered 

 in part by the peroneus longus, and arises from the inferior 

 half of the tibia and the fibula ; at the level of the tarsus it 

 becomes tendinous, passes into a groove hollowed out on the 

 external surface of the inferior extremity of the fibula, and 

 terminates on the external aspect of the superior extremity 

 of the fifth metatarsal. A Uttle before this insertion it 

 crosses the tendon of the long peroneal in passing to the 

 outer side of the latter. 



To the short peroneal muscle is found annexed a very 

 thin fasciculus which lies upon it. This fasciculus arises 

 from beneath the head of the fibula, and is soon replaced 

 by a thin tendon, which, accompanying that of the short 

 peroneal, proceeds towards the foot, after having traversed 

 the groove in the inferior extremity of the fibula ; passes 

 along by the fifth metatarsal (Fig. 84, 12) ; blends at the 

 level of the first phalanx of the fifth toe with the correspond- 

 ing tendon of the long extensor of the toes, and partakes 

 of the insertions of this tendon. 



This fasciculus is designated by some authors under the 

 name of the peroneal of the fifth toe, or the proper extensor 

 of the same toe. But what makes still further complica- 

 tions is that other authors regard it as an anterior, or third, 

 peroneal. Now, these names are those which other anato- 

 mists have applied to the fasciculus of the anterior tibial, 

 which, in the pig and the ox, is fused in part with the 

 long extensor of the toes. Hence there results a confusion 

 which is truly regrettable. 



In brief, we can, without inconvenience, consider it as a 

 fasciculus of the short peroneal muscle. 



We sometimes find in man, but abnormally, an arrange- 

 ment which partly recalls that which we have just indicated. 



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