308 THE CIRCULATORY SYSTEM. 
6. A. glutea superior (Fig. 126, #).—This passes dorso- 
laterad from the hypogastric and reaches the pelvic wall against 
the medial surface of the ilium. Here it divides into two 
branches. One passes between the iliopsoas muscle and the 
ventral border of the ilium to the medial surface of the gluteus 
maximus; it gives branches to the gluteus muscles, the pyri- 
formis, and the rectus femoris. The other branch passes dorsad 
of the ilium, sending a branch to the medial surface of the 
gluteus medius, and a small branch which joins the lateral 
sacral artery and enters thus the sacral canal. 
c. A. hemorrhoidalis media (Fig. 126, 7).—The middle 
hemorrhoidal passes ventrad from the hypogastric, onto the 
lateral surface of the rectum. It passes caudad near the ventral 
side of the rectum as far as the anus. A short distance from the 
origin it gives off a branch which passes almost directly ventrad 
toward the beginning of the urethra. In the male this. branch 
is small, sending twigs to the urethra and the prostate. In 
the female it is much larger, forming A. uterina (Fig. 112, 3, 
page 265). The uterine artery turns craniad onto the uterus, 
which it supplies, passing to the cranial end of the uterine 
cornu and anastomosing with the ovarian artery. 
The middle hemorrhoidal gives off in the female branches 
to the vagina (Fig. 112, #) and neck of the bladder (4), and 
a large branch to the urogenital sinus (z); it then supplies the 
anal glands and other structures about the anus, and anas- 
tomoses with the terminal branches of the hemorrhoidalis 
superior. In the male branchlets are given to the urethra, to 
the bulbourethral: (or Cowper’s) gland, and to the penis. The 
A. dorsalis penis is a small branch which passes along the 
median dorsal groove of the penis to the glans. The middle 
hemorrhoidal then supplies the structures about the anus and 
anastomoses with the superior hemorrhoidal, as in the female. 
d. A. glutea inferior (Fig. 126, 7).—This is the terminal 
portion of the hypogastric. It passes along with the great 
sciatic nerve to the great sciatic notch, and reaches the medial 
surface of M. pyriformis. It divides into branches which sup- 
ply the gluteus and pyriformis muscles, while a small branch 
accompanies the great sciatic nerve. A small branch also 
