The Posterior Limb. 231 



**The great saphenous vein (v. saphena magna), a large 

 tributary of the femoral, accompanies the corresponding artery, 

 and the greater saphenous nerve, and is continued as the posterior 

 tibial vein (v. tibialis posterior), to the plantar surface of the foot. 



The popliteal vein, the root of the femoral, accompanies the 

 corresponding artery in the popliteal fossa. It receives the small 

 'Saphenous vein (v. saphena parva) from the posterior margin 

 of the lateral head of the gastrocnemius. 



The sciatic vein is continued on the lateral surface of the leg as 

 the anterior tibial vein (v. tibialis anterior). It receives the 

 ^.ccessory small saphenous vein (v. saphena parva accessoria) 

 frorn the posterior surface, and is continued to the dorsum of the 

 foot passing to the fibular side of the crural ligament. 



***The greater saphenous nerve, the posterior branch of the 

 femoral nerve, accompanies first the femoral artery and afterwards 

 the great saphenous artery, passing distad to the medial surface 

 of the leg. 



The tibial nerve, the posterior division of the sciatic, passes 

 between the medial and lateral heads of the gastrocnemius to the 

 medial surface of the head of the plantaris. It traverses the leg, 

 lying on the medial surface first of the popliteus and afterwards 

 of the flexor digitorum longus, and passing beneath the medial 

 malleolus reaches the plantar surface of the foot. In the proximal 

 portion of the leg it distributes muscular branches to the flexor 

 group. 



The lesser saphenous nerve (n. saph^nus minor) accompanies 

 the small saphenous artery and vein on the posterior margin of the 

 lateral head of the gastrocnemius. 



The peroneal nerve, the anterior division of the sciatic, passes 

 distad, lying at first between the insertion of the biceps and the 

 lateral head of the gastrocnemius, and thus appearing on the surface 

 after the removal of the former. It perforates the anterior portion 

 of the lateral head of the gastrocnemius and afterwards the fused 

 heads of the peronaeus tertius and flexor digitorum longus, travers- 

 ing the leg at first behind the peronaeus longus and then around its 

 medial margin to the front of its tendon. It passes to the fibular 

 side of the crural ligament and thence to the dorsum of the foot. 

 The nerve distributes branches to the tibialis anterior and extensor 

 digitorum longus. 



