MUSCLES OF THE HIND LIMB. 39 



the short pastern bone. There are two small muscles which assist the front 

 one of these two muscles, but which I need not further allude to. As the 

 action of the suspensory and check ligament is closely connected with that 

 of the flexor muscles of the foot, I may appropriately describe them here. 

 The suspensory ligament lies at the back of the cannon-bone and between the 

 two splint bones. It has its origin at the head of the cannon-bone and lower 

 row of the small bones of the knee. At about two-thirds of the distance 

 from the knee to the fetlock, it divides into two branches, which are 

 respectively inserted on the summits of the sesamoid bones. They then 

 extend downwards and forwards, and unite together, at the front and about 

 the middle of the pastern, with the tendon of the muscle which extends 

 the foot. The suspensory ligament is composed of white fibrous tissue, with 

 a few muscular fibres in it, and acts in supporting the fetlock. It is 

 generally considered to be inelastic, although MM. Goubaux and Barrier 

 entertain the opposite opinion. They remark that " its obscurely muscular 

 structure, and the manner in which its fibres inter-cross, render it a true, 

 elastic brace, which counteracts the effects of weight, as long as they do not 

 overcome the resistance and strength of the tissues." In omnivorous 

 and carnivorous animals this ligament is replaced by a muscle which 

 has similar functions. The check ligament has nearly the same origin 

 as the suspensory ligament and joins the front back tendon, at a point 

 about half-way down the cannon-bone. Its office is to aid in supporting 

 the fetlock and to relieve the muscles of the tendon, with which it is con- 

 nected, of weight. 



Muscles of the hind limb. — The hip is extended by the great croup 

 muscle, and also by some of the muscles which lie at the back of the 

 thigh bone. One end of the great croup muscle is attached to the upper 

 surface of the front portion of the pelvis, and, proceeding along the side of 

 the sacrum, reaches as far as the last rib. The other end is inserted to the 

 summit of the portion of the thigh bone which projects above the hip joint. 

 The muscles at the back of the thigh bone have their origin, chiefly, on the 

 under surface of tlie pelvis, from behind the hip joint to the point of the 

 buttock; and are inserted principally to the lower part of the thigh bone 

 or to the upper portion of the tibia. 



The hip is flexed by muscles that have their origin on the under 

 surface of the loin vertebrae, and are inserted on the thigh bone ', and also 

 by muscles which are attached to the under surface of the pelvis in front of 

 the hip joint, and to the thigh bone, patella, or tibia. 



The stifle is extended by one muscle which has its origin on the under 



