64 bulletin: musel'^ni of comparative zoology. 



apparently stop here, and a small group of sympathetic ganglion cells 

 is found at the point of juncture of the two ner^•es. These facts sup- 

 port the conclusion that we have here a combined sympathetic and 

 viscero-sensory ramus. 



The palatine ramus passes cephalad from the ganglion swinging in 

 toward the median line (Plate 3, fig. 7). Its course is along the groove 

 which marks the division between the prootic and the basioccipital 

 (Plate 1, fig. 3). It passes into the sphenoid and crosses the base of 

 its process dorsally, being carried in an imperfectly closed foramen 

 (Plate 6, fig. 17, pal). The palatine passes into a narrow space of the 

 sphenoid and out again on the median side to assume a position just 

 underneath the mucous membrane median to the basiptergoid process 

 of the sphenoid (Plate 5, fig. 15). In its course cephalad it keeps along 

 the dorsal side of the pterygoid near its median border, gradually 

 taking a more lateral position, to the point where it bears the ganglion 

 palatinum (Plate 3, fig. 7, g7i. pal.). Throughout this portion of its 

 extent it gives off no fibers for distribution. It receives (or gives off) 

 the anastomosing branch connecting with V by way of the ramus to 

 the palpebral muscle (Plate 3, fig. 6, dcp. palp, if., see p. 50). This 

 does not change the character of the palatine in any recognizable way, 

 and there are no ganglion cells in connection with this anastomosis. 



The ganglion palatinum is a s^inpathetic ganglion, which appears on 

 the main palatine ramus proximal to any terminal branches. It lies 

 on the floor of the orbit ventral to the palpebralis muscle and marks 

 the beginning of the infraorbital plexus between nerves V and VII. 

 A small number of medullated fibers are given off laterally, the main 

 bundle dividing again just distal to the ganglion. The ganglion cells 

 are strongly grouped at the first division point and also extend along 

 the lateral branch for a considerable distance (Plates 2, 3, figs. 4- 

 6). From this point forward to the level of the ethmoidal ganglion 

 the palatine components are carried in rami which anastomose more or 

 less with each other and with the infraorbital ramus of nerve V. 



The infraorbital plexus consists of a number of anastomosing 

 branches spread out in the orbit on the dorsal side of the pterygoid 

 and palatine bones, these branches connecting rm. palatinus VII with 

 maxillaris V (infra orbital portion). The posterior (proximal) limits of 

 this plexus are marked by the sympathetic ganglia of palatine VII and 

 infraorbital V (Plates 2, 3, figs. 4, 6, 7, gn. pal. and gn if orb.). 

 This plexus was studied both from series of sections and from 

 dissections with a view to determining its constant features. The 

 complete plexus was much better demonstrated by the latter method 



