150 Anatomy of the Rabbit. 



medial surface of the thigh and leg in company first with the femoral 

 artery and afterwards with the great saphenous artery. 



The sciatic nerve (n. ischiadicus) appears laterally in the greater 

 sciatic notch. It passes backward beneath the piriformis muscle, and 

 then turns distad to the thigh, where it lies on the lateral surfaces of 

 the adductores magnus and longus. It distributes branches to the 

 posterior musculature of the thigh. In the proximal portion of the 

 thigh it divides into two chief branches, which are closely connected as 

 far as the knee. The anterior branch is the peroneal nerve (n. peronaeus), 

 the posterior branch the tibial nerve (n. tibialis). The lesser. saphenous 

 nerve (p. 154) is a small branch given off from the tibial above the knee- 

 joint. 



For the origin of this and related nerves see p. 155. 



The superior gluteal nerve (n. glutaeus superior) appears in the 

 greater sciatic notch, leaving the sciatic close to the inferior posterior 

 spine of the ilium. It passes between the glutaeus minimus and the 

 lateral surface of the ilium, ending in the tensor fasciae latae. Its 

 branches are distributed to the glutaei medius and minimus and the 

 piriformis muscles. 



The inferior gluteal nerve (n. glutaeus inferior) perforates the pos- 

 terior portion of the piriformis, and is distributed to the glutaeus maxi- 

 mus. 



The posterior cutaneous nerve (n. cutaneus femoris posterior) accom- 

 panies the hypogastric artery backward to the ischial tuberosity, where 

 it turns to the posterior margin of the thigh and the medial surface of 

 the sciatic vein, ending in branches to the skin. 



The pudendal nerve (n. pudendus) accompanies the sciatic artery 

 and afterwards the internal pudendal to the penis or clitoris. 



In preparation for the muscular dissection of the leg, the insertion 

 tendons of the biceps femoris, tensor fasciae cruris, gracilis, and semi- 

 membranosus muscles should be removed from about the knee-joint. The 

 adductor magnus may be detached from the medial condyle of the 

 femur, but the popliteal vessels must be kept intact. The superficial 

 bloodvessels of the leg should be noted, since it is necessary to clear them 

 away in separating the muscles. They include, medially, the great 

 saphenous artery and vein, and laterally the sciatic vein, together with 

 'its continuation, the anterior tibial vein, and the accessory small saphe- 

 nous vein (p. 153). 



4. Muscles arising from the medial and lateral condyles of the femur 

 and from the proximal portions of the tibia and fibula, including the 

 tibial condyles; inserted on the foot. The group includes the typical 

 extensors and flexors of the foot, together with the peronaei muscles, 

 which individually are extensors and flexors, but collectively have the 

 relation of lateral tractors (Fig. 49). 



A. Extensor group. Muscles occupying an anterior position on the 

 leg and inserted on the dorsum of the foot. 



(a) The extensor hallucis longus. Origin : Middle portion of the 

 anteromedial surface of the tibia and from the medial con- 



