CoGHiLL, Cranial Nerves of Amblystoina. 229 



fibers are exceedingly fine and seem to come from the communis 

 component. They pass cephalo-laterad between the m. mas- 

 seter and m. depressor mandibulae in close relation with a twig 

 of the r. mentalis and are distributed to the skin over the 

 muscles just mentioned. They can not be traced to sense 

 organs. Although I have not been able to demonstrate this 

 twig in every case, it would be quite possible for its fibers to 

 become obscured in some branch of the r. mentalis and for 

 them to have their typical distribution without being demon- 

 strable, 



6. — The Ramus Palatinus. 



The r. palatinus VII arises from the proximal portion of 

 the geniculate ganglion and inclines ventrad into the roof of the 

 mouth. It then continues cephalad and a little laterad, across 

 the ventral border of the m. retractor bulbi, to the transverse 

 level of the posterior end of the internal nares. Here the nerve 

 forms into two terminal branches. The mesial branch {ni.p.) 

 passes cephalad mesially of the internal nares and receives the 

 mesial division of the ventral terminal branch of the ophthal- 

 micus profundus. The lateral terminal branch {I. p.) of the pal- 

 atine turns abruptly laterad from the point of division just be- 

 hind the internal nares and fuses with the lateral division of the 

 ventral terminal branch of the ophthalmicus profundus. At the 

 junction of the two nerves there is a prominent cluster of gang- 

 lion cells. The peripheral relations of these terminal branches 

 of the palatine nerve have been described in connection with the 

 r, ophthalmicus profundus. 



From near the point of branching the palatine nerve sends 

 branches also mesiad to the epithelium posteriorly of the vo- 

 mers. Other branches are given off in the earlier course of the 

 nerve and are distributed to the epithelium of the roof of the 

 mouth on either side of the nerve. Twigs of these branches 

 anastomose frequently and some of them fuse with twigs from 

 Jacobson's anastomosis. Other fibers from the r. palatinus may 

 fuse with the r. palatinus caudalis. 



" The r. palatinus, in one of my specimens, shows remark- 



