GLUTEAL KEGION. 231 



LUMBRICALES. 



(Lvmihrici.) 



These small muscles originate on either side of the perforans, 

 and the sesamoidean ring of the perforatus tendons ; they termi- 

 nate in their tendons, which become lost in the coverings of the 

 fetlock joint. 



Muscles of the Pelyic Limb. 



The movements caused by these muscles resemble those of the 

 anterior limb. It should, however, be borne in mind that the 

 stifle joint allows more extensive and varied motion than the 

 elbow, while the motion in the tarsus is less free than that in 

 the carpus, the former being in effect purely ginglymoid ; also 

 that the posterior is capable of more extensive abduction at the 

 hip joint than is the anterior limb at the shoulder, although the 

 former is more bound by ligaments. The muscles of the limb 

 in question may be divided into those associated with the follow- 

 ing regions : — 



Gluteal The hip. 



Femoral The thigh. 



Tibial The leg. 



Metatarsal . . . . . The foot. 



Gluteal Kegion. 



The muscles of this region, called also the hip or the croup, 

 arise externally or internally from the pelvis, the sacrum, and 

 the sacro-sciatic ligament, and are all attached to the femur near 

 its proximal end, being related with the hip joint. Collectively 

 the muscles from which this region is- named form in the horse 

 an enormous fleshy mass, apparent in the living animal as 

 a rounded prominence, behind and above the anterior iliac 

 spine, to which, and to the sacral spine, the strong gluteal 

 fascia which invests them is firmly attached ; a thin layer of 

 fat is generally found covering the region superiorly. In this 

 region we have one group containing nine muscles, named as 

 follows : — 



