THE LIMBS OF THE HOESE 



151 



metatarsal arteries, of which the medial is the larger, run down the 

 metatarsus in the depths of the grooves formed by the middle inter- 

 osseous muscle and the small metatarsal bones, and end by uniting 

 with the common digital artery, thus forming the distal plantar arch 

 (arcus plantaris distalis). The medial artery furnishes the nutrient 

 vessel for the third metatarsal bone. 



On its passage between the third and fourth metatarsal bones 

 the lateral dorsal metatarsal becomes the cowmion digital artery 



M. gastrocnemius. 



Tuber calcanei. 



Talus. 

 Sustentaculum tali. 



Central tarsal bone 

 (scaphoid). ( / 



M. tibialis anterior 

 First tarsal bone 



Second tarsal bone. 



Second metatarsal bone. 



Third metatarsal bone 



Fourth tarsal bone (cuboid). 

 .. ^1. flexor digitorum profundus. 



Fourth metatarsal bone. 

 M. interosseus. 



Fig. 104. — Plantar (Posterior) Aspect of the Tarsus, with Areas of Muscular Attachment. 



(a. digitalis communis), which traverses the gap between the two 



limbs of the interosseous muscle and, between this and the deep 



flexor tendon, divides into the medial and lateral plantar digital 



arteries. Tlie digital arteries have a distribution similar to that 



of the corresponding vessels of the thoracic limb. 



Veins of the metatarsus and digit. — The plexuses and veins 



of the digit are similar to those of the thoracic limb, the two digital 



veins, medial and lateral, being joined in the formation of a distal 



■plantar venous arch (arcus venosus plantaris distalis). 



There may be six veins in the metatarsus, but of these three are 

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