320 ANATOMY OF THE RABBIT 



(e) The ophthalmic nerve (n. ophthahnicus), the first division 

 of the fifth cranial, or trigeminal nerve (n. trigeminus), 

 accompanies the inferior ophthahiiic artery on the medial 

 wall of the orbit. It is entirely sensory. It gives off a 

 lacrimal nerve, which passes upward through the posterior 

 foramen of the supraorbital process, after giving off small 

 branches to the lacrimal gland, and is distributed to the 

 skin of the upper eyelid. The ophthalmic then passes 

 forward a short distance and divides into two parts. One 

 of these, the frontal nerve, leaves the orbit through the 

 anterior supraorbital foramen and branches in the skin. 

 The other, the nasociliary nerve, is distributed partly to 

 the anterior portion of the orbit, while its main division 

 leaves the orbit as the ethmoidal nerve, which passes 

 through the small ethmoidal foramen of the orbital part 

 of the frontal bone to supply the interior of the nose. The 

 nasociliary nerve is also connected with the minute ciliary 

 ganglion lying on the optic nerve by a very delicate long 

 root of the ciliary ganglion. 



The lacrimal, frontal, and nasociliary nerves appear as 

 separate structures in the orbit, their origin being deep 

 (Fig. 45, p. 85). 



(/) The branches of the maxillary nerve (n. maxillaris), the 

 second division of the trigeminus, traverse the ventral por- 

 tion of the orbit, passing forward in company with the 

 internal maxillary artery. They include the spheno- 

 palatine nerve (n. sphenopalatinus) and the infraorbital 

 nerve (n. infraorbitalis). The latter gives off superior 

 alveolar branches to the upper teeth, passing forward 

 through the infraorbital groove and foramen to the face. 



The connections of the sphenopalatine nerve may be examined 

 by first dividing both nerves at the posterior angle of the orbit; 

 then separating the slender sphenopalatine nerve from the ventral 

 surface of the cord and turning the principal, infraorbital portion 

 forward. A third nerve, the nerve of the pterygoid canal, should 

 remain intact on the orbital wall. If the infraorbital nerve alone 

 is divided, the splenopalatine nerve will be found on the surface of 



