POSTERIOR LIMB 



15 



above the head is a large elevation or bony prominence known 

 as the external, or great, trochanter, which gives attachment and 

 leverage to powerful muscles of the 

 hip. Below this are two smaller 

 trochanters which give attachment 

 to other muscles of this region. 

 The inferior extremity is somewhat 

 flat from side to side and is formed 

 by two rounded surfaces which 

 are called condyles. These are sep- 

 arated by a deep groove known as 

 the trochlea and resemble the lips 

 and groove of a pulley, thus fitting 

 the inferior extremity for its pecu- 

 liar articulations with the patella 

 and tibia. 



Leg. — This part contains three 

 bones, — the tibia, the fibula, and 

 the patella. The tibia is a long 

 bone with a somewhat triangular 

 shaft larger at the upper than at 

 the lower end. It articulates above 

 with the femur and fibula, and be- 

 low with the bones of the hock, i.e. 

 the tarsal bones. Like the femur, 

 this bone offers for study a distinct 

 shaft, upper and lower extremities. 



The shaft of the tibia presents 

 three surfaces, — the external, in- 

 ternal, and posterior; and three 

 borders, — the anterior, external, 

 and internal. The superior ex- 

 tremity shows in front a depression 

 for one of the ligaments which 

 attaches the patella to the tibia, 

 also a small articular surface for 

 the fibula on the outer side, and 

 two oval depressions with a marked 

 projection between them for articulating with the condyles of the 

 femur. These are smooth and covered with a thick pad of fibro- 

 cartilage. The inferior extremity presents an external and an 



Fig. 12. — Posterior Limb of 

 the Horse. 



C, Pelvic bone; F, femur; V, 

 patella; J, tibia; X, fibula; T, 

 tarsals; M, metatarsals; S, 

 sesamoids; P, phalanges. 



