DISSECTION OF THE DOG 79 



Small muscular branches arise from this part of the femoral artery, as do 

 also the saphenous and articular arteries. 



V. eemoralis. — The femoral vein hes along the medial and aboral side of 

 the femoral artery, and receives tributaries which are the satellites of the 

 branches of the artery. 



N. saphenus. — The whole course of the saphenous nerve in the thigh is now 

 exposed. A branch of the femoral nerve, it runs along the oral side of the 

 femoral artery in the first part of its course, crossing the artery medially on a 

 level with the border of the semimembranosus muscle, about which point it 

 contributes a twig to accompany the articular branch of the femoral artery. 



A. gentt suprema. — The articular branch of the femoral artery leaves 

 the parent vessel as this disappears under the semimembranosus. It travels 

 in a groove formed by the semimembranosus and medial vastus muscles, 

 accompanied by a vein and a small branch of the saphenous nerve. 



Certain muscles are now exposed. These, enumerating them in order 

 and beginning with the most oral, are : Medial vastus, pectineus, adductor, 

 semimembranosus, and semitendinosus. 



M. vastus mediaiis. — The medial vastus is one of a group of three 

 powerful muscles clothing the oral surface of the femur. Its origin, which 

 cannot be properly examined until the adductor muscle has been reflected, is 

 from the femur close to the head and from the proximal third of the medial lip 

 of the linea aspera. The insertion is into the patella in common with the other 

 muscles of the same group. 



M. pectineus. — The pectineus muscle is rather narrow and rounded, and 

 lies immediately aboral to the medial vastus. Its origin is blended with the 

 attachment of the abdominal muscles, and extends from the ilio-pectineal 

 eminence to the symphysis of the pubis. The insertion of the muscle is by 

 means of a thin tendon to the distal part of the medial lip of the linea aspera, 

 and along with the semimembranosus to the medial epicondyle of the femur. 



M. adductor eemoris. — The adductor of the femur is a powerful muscle 

 placed aboral to the pectineus. Its more distal part is covered by the semi- 

 membranosus. The origin of the muscle is from the ventral surface of the pubis 

 and ischium. It has a fleshy attachment to the whole of the linea aspera 

 and a little of the popliteal space of theNfemur ; and a tendinous attachment, 

 partly fused with the tendon of the pectineus, to the medial lip of the linea . 

 aspera. 



M. semimembranosus. — The semimembranosus muscle is long and thick, 

 and partly hidden by the adductor. Two parallel parts can be readily 

 separated towards the insertion of the muscle. 



Their common origin is from the medial part of the sciatic tuber. The 

 oral portion is inserted into the medial epicondyle of the femur and the 

 sesamoid bone in that neighbourhood. The aboral part is inserted into the 

 articular margin of the tibia. 



