568 DR. J. MURIE ON THE ANATOMY OF THE SEA-LION. 
Gluteus maximus.—This double muscle is insignificant in proportion to the gluteus 
minimus, which latter not only exceeds it in dimensions, but also occupies the anterior 
gluteal region, while the biceps covers the gluteus maximus posteriorly (vide respec- 
tively figs. 15, 34, & 35). 
The first part of the gluteus maximus ((.mz") arises spinally opposite the head of the 
femur, but with no direct origin from the ilium, the fibres rather coming from the 
third dorsal spinous processes or median line of the sacrum. Here the muscle has a 
breadth of fully two and a half inches, and lies on the surface of the muscular portion 
of the levator caude muscles posterior to the gluteus medius; outwardly it covers the 
pyriformis &c. Narrowing in the manner of an inverted pyramid, the fibres terminate 
narrowly in a tendon which is inserted into the peroneal or great trochanter. 
The second portion of the gluteus maximus ((.mz’) (for as such I take the moderate- 
sized fleshy strip or band which takes origin on the same level, namely above the levatores 
caude and immediately behind the gluteus maximus primus) passes over the gemellus 
inferior and the insertion of the long, oblique sacro-peroneus and quadratus femoris. 
It winds round beneath the great trochanter, and is inserted on the outside of the shaft 
of the femur for more than its upper half, where it mingles superficially with the 
adductor longus primus, and is in close conjunction with the border of the vastus 
externus. It is covered entirely by the first portion of the biceps. 
Action. The transverse direction of the moderate-sized upper segment of the gluteus 
maximus rotates the femur inwards and slightly backwards; whilst the attachments of 
the deeper second portion causes it to be a flexor and rotator outwards of the femur. 
The gluteus medius (G.md), as already mentioned, partly lies superficially and in 
advance of the gluteus maximus. The muscle is, as usual, fan-shaped, thinnish spinally, 
but thick and fleshy at its outer border. It has origin from the anterior crest of the 
ilium, the surface posterior to the lengthened erector spine—from the sacral vertebre 
for a breadth of over one and a half inch—from the surface of the levator caudz muscles, 
in front of the gluteus maximus, where these join the ilium at the posterior lumbar 
region—and, lastly, from the outer edge of the ilium, wrapping round and ensheathing, 
as it were, the gluteus minimus. The convergent muscular fibres from these origins 
are inserted outside the great (or peroneal) trochanter on a level with, but anterior to, 
those of the gluteus maximus. 
This muscle drags forward the trochanter, and helps the gluteus maximus to drag the 
thigh (femur) outwards. 
The gluteus minimus (G.mi, fig. 35) is short, thick, and very fleshy. It arises from 
the whole of the outer surface of the ilium, except the ventral margin occupied by the 
gluteus medius, and is inserted into the upper and anterior part of the great trochanter, 
being surrounded on three sides by the gluteus medius. Its median border lies in close 
proximity to the origin of the levatores caude superiores. 
Use. It acts along with the gluteus medius in protracting the trochanter. 
