Baker — On the Ligamentum Mucosum. 201 



one-fourth (22|- per cent.) of my cases deserved that title ; and if the 

 number of partial septa he taken into account, I think the tendency of 

 the ligament in man is quite as much towards the septate condition as 

 the filiform. 



2. Hyrtl remarks, " It appears knotty fi'om fat, or it includes a 

 fibrous string which conveys blood-vessels to the patella ; these seem to 

 fill vacant spaces in the joint." "With the first part of this statement 

 I entirely disagree, for, in those specimens I examined, the vessels did 

 not approach the patella at all, but went rather to the femoral attach- 

 ment of the ligament (i. e., the intercondyloid portion of the femur) ; 

 whether they nourished that portion of the bone or not, I am not pre- 

 pared to state : with the latter part of his statement I feel inclined to 

 concur, for, as far as I can judge, the function of the ligamentum 

 mucosum is to adjust the fatty lobe at the marsupium patcllare, to 

 fill the various vacant spaces in the joint, in the different positions 

 between complete flesion and extension. 



3. In several of the lower animals I observed that when the liga- 

 ment formed a complete septum, it was continuous with the synovial 

 membrane forming the sheath of the extensor communis digitorum, 

 which passes across the external side of the joint, and at the same 

 time roofs in the outer clivision of the joint. In some human joints I 

 found bands going from the marsupium to the external reflection of 

 the synovial membrane. 



4. On two separate occasions, in man I observed an additional liga- 

 ment going from the marsupium to the hood that is often found on the 

 internal condyle ; in I]cphjmotes oltusirostris this ligament existed 

 as a strong fibrous band. 



5. "With regard to the development of this ligament nothing is as 

 yet known ; it is a point which would probably clear up its morpholo- 

 gical nature, and throw light on the vexed question, " the origin 

 of synovial membrane," on which much has been written, and of which 

 the best modem exposition is that published tliis year in Leyden, by 

 J. G. Yan der Sluijs (Over den Bouw van het Synoviaalvlies, Leiden, 

 P. Somerwil, 1875). 



E. I. A. rr.OC., SEE. 11., VOL. II., SCIEXCE. 2 E 



