Chapter M

Greatest distal diameter across condyles ·178
Length of condyles ·079
Transverse diameter of shaft six inches above
distal end ·121

_The Tibia_ (Plate VIII., Fig. 2).--The tibia is short, straight, and simple, slender in the middle, but much expanded at the extremities. The proximal end is especially massive, with deeply concave articular faces; the internal cotylus is the larger, and has its greatest diameter fore-and-aft, directly at right angles to the greatest diameter of the external.

The cotyli are separated by a smooth ridge, that is highest at its posterior termination. The tuberosity is high and massive, with a wide depression on its top for the reception of the ligament of the patella; the sides are deeply pitted by venous foramina. A section of the shaft at the lower part of the tuberosity would be subtriangular; while below it becomes more cylindrical, as it becomes smaller, reaching its shortest diameter about three fifths down the shaft. Below this it expands and forms the large subcircular distal end. The articular face is concave, with a slight, smooth ridge running fore-and-aft on its internal side. The malleolus is broad and low.

The _fibula_ is distinct, but very slender; its proximal end has a small circular face, which articulates with the tibia on a facet developed on the bottom of a projection of the tuberosity; the distal end is much flattened, but enters into the ankle-joint.

_Measurements of the Tibia._