30 STUDIES IN COMPAKATIVE ANATOMY. 



the foot, forming a sheath for the short muscles of the fifth 

 digit. In front, it is firmly connected with a strong transverse 

 band, which stretches across the sole over the heads of the meta- 

 tarsal bones. The fascia is not so strong on the inner side of 

 the foot; here it blends with the other connective tissues of the 

 sole. Close to the inner side of the tuberosity of the heel, a 

 rather strong tendinous portion of plantaris passes deeply. The 

 first lumhricalis is attached to this ; beyond, the tendinous slip 

 gives off a bundle of fibres to the deep flexor tendon, and itself 

 ends in a small round tendon, from which the third and fourth 

 lumhricales take origin. 



The general disposition of the superficial ligaments of the sole 

 is similar to that of the fore-limb. A synovial bursa and a great 

 quantity of highly elastic connective tissue in each case separates 

 the ligamentous from the horny sole. 



Zumbricales. — The first, short and much stronger than the 

 rest, arises from the tendon of plantaris on its inner side, close 

 to the tuberosity of the os calcis. It is inserted by a flattened 

 tendon into the tibial side of the first phalanx of the first toe. 

 The tendon of plantaris, prolonged towards the middle digit, 

 gives off next, on the inner side, the second lumbrical, which 

 passes to ths flexor sheath of the second toe. On the other side 

 two luiiibircahs arise, close together, from the tendon of plan- 

 taris. One passes to the sheath of the flexor tendon of the third 

 digit, the other similarly to that of the fourth. The luiiibricalis 

 of the third digit arises also by a small head from the deep flexor 

 just above its division. Another lumbrical, given off at the same 

 point, is inserted into the tibial side of the sheath of the third 

 digit, and is connected further with the extensor tendon. A 

 shorter and thicker lumbrical arises from the flexor tendon just 

 behind the preceding, and passes to the tibial side of the second 

 digit, where it is attached, like the rest, to the deep surface of 

 the sheath. There is no lumhricalis of the fifth digit. 



C. and L.— 289, figs. 4, 5 (\) ; 292-3 {k). 



Abductor minimi digiti {pedis). — ^A short, thick muscle, arising 

 from the under surface of the tuberosity of the os calcis, and 

 inserted by means of a sesamoid into the proximal phalanx of 

 the fifth digit. 



Not in 0. and L. 



