BY W. J. McKAY. 967 



these two runs outwards between the external intercostal s and 

 the retrahentes costarum to each of which it gives branches, and 

 then ends by supplying the pretrahentes costarum inferiores. The 

 smaller of the two divisions, corresponding it would seem to the 

 lateral cutaneous branches of other animals, pierces the external 

 intercostals, and running outwards over the pretrahentes costarum 

 superiores, and beneath the external oblique, it gives to each a 

 branch and then continues on to reach the rectus and scutal 

 muscles. 



The Venom Gland. 



When the integument is removed from the side of the headj 

 portion of the lateral surface of the gland is displayed lying 

 between the masseter above, and the superior labial glands below. 



The superior surface is covered by the masseter ; the 

 inferior rests on the anterior part of the pterygoid muscle, the 

 transverse bone_, and the dense fascia which stretches between the 

 pterygoid bone and the edge of the lip, and portion of the palatine 

 aponeurosis. Internally the gland is related to the descending 

 portion of the masseter, and is separated from the lachrymal 

 gland and the parieto-palatine muscle by the suspensory ligament 

 of the gland. Posteriorly it is separated from the anterior 

 temporal muscle by another ligament. 



The gland is obovate in shape, the anterior extremity being 

 produced into the venom duct. It is surrounded by a dense 

 fibrous capsule, which is also continued over the duct. This may 

 be the representative of the true "parotid fascia." It is to this 

 capsule that the masseter muscle is attached. A strong band of 

 fascia springs from the external and posterior portion of the gland, 

 and running back is inserted into the capsule of the quadrato- 

 mandibular joint, and on the posterior and external ridge of 

 the articular. This band has been named by Duges the " zygo- 

 matic ligament," and he regards it as the representative of the 

 zygomatic arch of birds. In the non-venomous species this band 

 springs from the maxillary bone. It is also present in Eydro- 

 saurus. 



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