234 THE ARTICULATIONS OF THE HORSE 
tach the patella to the tuberosity of the tibia. The lateral patellar ligament ex- 
tends from the lateral part of the anterior surface of the patella to the lateral part 
of the tuberosity of the tibia. It receives a strong tendon from the biceps femoris 
muscle and also part of the fascia lata. The middle patellar ligament extends 
from the front of the apex of the patella to the distal part of the groove on the 
tuberosity of the tibia; a bursa is interposed between the ligament and the upper 
part of the groove, and a smaller one occurs between the upper part of the ligament 
and the apex of the patella. The medial patellar ligament is attached above to the 
Proximal end of 
Shaft femoro-patellar 
s— of capsule 
femur 
Base of patella 
Lateral head of gastrocnemius 
Lateral femoro-patellar ligament —_ 
Attachment of joint capsule — 
Lateral condyle of femur 
Lateral femoro-tibial ligament 
Popliteus 4 he py ie 
Zs Z : 
= > hi. Sas !_ Distal end of capsule 
Middle patellar ligament 
— Medial patellar ligament 
Lateral patellar ligament 
(stump) 
Deep digital flexor __ 
Tuberosity of tibia 
Tibialis anterior 
Long extensor 
Lateral extensor 
Fic. 246.—Rieut Stirte Joint or Horse; Lateran VIEW. 
The femoro-patellar capsule was filled with plaster-of-Paris and then removed after the cast was set. The femoro- 
tibial capsule and most of the lateral patellar ligament are removed. M, Lateral meniscus. 
patellar fibro-cartilage, and ends on the tuberosity of the tibia at the medial side of 
the groove. It is joined by the common aponeurosis of the gracilis and sartorius, 
and its proximal part furnishes insertion to fibers of the vastus medialis. These 
so-called ligaments are, in reality, the tendons of insertion of the quadriceps | 
femoris and biceps femoris muscles, and transmit the action of the latter to the | 
tibia; they also function similarly for the other muscles attached to them as noted 
above. 
It will be noticed that the proximal attachments are further apart than the distal ones, so 
that the ligaments converge below. The medial ligament is especially oblique. The middle 
ligament is more deeply placed than the others, and therefore cannot usually be felt so distinetly 
in the living animal. The lateral ligament is very largely the tendon of the anterior part of the 
