FRONT OF LEG AND DORSUM OF FOOT. 239 



anterior border of the muscle ; these pass through the 

 annular ligament, and on the dorsum of the foot the inner 

 tendon divides into two, thus making four tendons destined 

 to all thejtoes except the great toe. The tendons of the 

 extensor brevis are inserted into the outer side of each of 

 these tendons, with the exception of the one to the little 

 toe, and the expanded tendon thus formed divides, as in 

 the hand, into three slips, the central one of which is in- 

 serted into the second phalanx, and the two lateral into 



sides of the last phalanx. 

 The EXTENSOR BREVIS DIGITORUM, covered in by the 

 melons of the extensor longus and peroneus tertius mus- 

 5, lies upon the dorsum of the foot, and consists of a 

 lall flat belly arising from the outside of the os calcis, 

 id from which emanate four tendons ; the first crosses the 

 lorsalis pedis artery, and is inserted into the first phalanx 

 of the great toe, the other three terminate by blending 

 r ith the outer side of the tendons of the extensor longus 

 niscle. 



The PERONEUS TERTIUS MUSCLE is in reality a part of the 

 :tensor longus ; it arises from the lower third of the fibula 

 a thin layer of fibres, which terminate in a round tendon 

 lat passes under the annular ligament in the same sheath 

 with the extensor longus, and is inserted into the base of 

 the metatarsal bone of the fifth toe. It is not imfrequently 

 wanting. 



Upon separating the tibialis anticus and the extensor 

 longus muscles, the anterior tibial artery will be found, 

 lying deep in the upper part of the leg, but more superficial 

 lower down. After its division from the popliteal artery, 

 it pursues a short course posteriorly, to the space between 

 the fibula and tibia, and becomes anterior by passing 

 through the interval left at the upper part of the interos- 

 seous membrane, upon which it descends, in company with 

 the anterior tibial nerve and two large venae comites ; in 

 the upper part of its course it lies between the tibialis 

 anticus and the extensor longus muscles ; lower down it 

 lies between the tibialis anticus tendon and that of the 

 extensor proprius pollicis, passes under the annular liga- 

 ment, and on the back of the foot becomes the dorsalis 

 pedis artery. At its upper part it sends a recurrent branch 

 upward, which perforates the head of the tibialis anticus 

 muscle, and anastomoses with the inferior articular branches 

 of the popliteal ; in its course between the muscles it gives 



