Artistic Anatomy of Animals

by Édouard Cuyer

The biceps arises from the tuberosity of the ischium; hence it is directed, widening as it goes, towards the leg, where it terminates by an aponeurosis which blends with the fascia lata and the aponeurosis of the leg, and then proceeds to be attached to the anterior border or crest of the tibia. By its inferior portion it limits externally the posterior region of the knee—the popliteal space.

A fibrous intersection traverses the biceps in its whole length, with the result that the muscle looks as if formed of two portions, one of which is situated in front of the other.

In the dog and the cat it also arises from the sacro-sciatic ligament. At this level its contour is distinguishable from that which corresponds to the gluteal muscles, so that we there find two prominences one above the other. The superior is formed by the gluteal muscles; the inferior corresponds to the tuberosity of the ischium. The two prominences are separated by a depression, from which the biceps emerges. We draw attention to this form, the character of which is so expressive of energy in the carnivora.

In these animals the biceps is inserted, by its anterior fibres, into the articulation of the knee, while in the rest of its extent it covers in great measure by its aponeurosis the external aspect of the leg.

In the pig, the biceps is but slightly marked off from the posterior part of the great gluteal. In the ox, the division between these two muscles is a little more distinct.

In the horse, the sciatic origin of the biceps is covered by the semi-tendinosus, so that it only becomes free lower down, to appear in the space limited behind by the semi-tendinosus, and in front by the posterior part of the gluteus maximus.

When the biceps contracts, taking its fixed point from above, it flexes the leg and helps to extend the thigh. If, on the other hand, it takes its fixed point from below, it lowers the ischium, makes the pelvis undergo a see-saw movement, and acts thus in the movement of rearing. It is sometimes called, on account of one of its actions, and the position which it occupies, the ‘external flexor, or peroneal muscle of the leg.’

Semi-tendinosus ([Fig. 68], 31; [Fig. 70], 37; [Fig. 87], 1; [Fig. 88], 1; [Fig. 89], 28).—This muscle forms the contour of the thigh posteriorly, so that when the latter is viewed from the side, it is the semi-tendinosus above all that forms the outline. But, as we shall soon see, it is in this case more distinct above than below, because of the deviation which it undergoes in order to occupy by its inferior part the internal side of the leg.

In the dog, the cat, and the ox, the semi-tendinosus arises from the tuberosity of the ischium only, as in the human species. In the pig, it also takes origin higher up from the sacro-sciatic ligament and the coccygeal aponeurosis. In the horse, it extends still further, for it is also attached to the crest of the sacrum.

The indication of these origins is of importance from the point of view of external form, and to convince ourselves of this it is sufficient to compare, in the ox and the horse, the region of the pelvis situated below the root of the tail. In the ox, whose semi-tendinosus arises from the tuberosity of the ischium only, this region is depressed, and the cavity which is formed at this level is limited behind by the tuberosity, which we know is very thick and prominent above. This causes the superior part of the crupper to be less oblique than in the horse. This characteristic is more especially marked in the cow, the bull having this region of a more rounded form.