106 D. A. RHINEHART 



On these nerves no encapsulated nerve endings were found. The 

 nerves of the glands are not so well demonstrated. Bundles of 

 fibers can be traced until they break up into smaller bundles or 

 isolated fibers among the gland alveoli. The nerve supply of 

 the taste-buds, with one exception, could be identified as coming 

 from one or the other of the palatine nerves. 



In the series represented in the graph the posterior palatine 

 nerve is represented by two relatively large nerve bundles. 

 These emerge through separate canals in the bone. One of 

 them is directed anteriorly and supplies a small part of the lateral 

 side of the hard palate, the other passes posteriorly to supply a 

 limited area of the hard palate and one entire half of the soft 

 palate. The middle palatine nerve is distributed to the lateral 

 part of the hard palate anterior and lateral to the place of emer- 

 gence from its canal. Two bundles of the anterior palatine nerve 

 are shown, one passing medially and the other posteriorly, to 

 supply an area of the hard palate medial to that supplied by the 

 other nerves. Practically the entire mass of the palatal glands 

 and all but a few of the taste-buds are located in the area sup- 

 plied by the posterior, palatine jierve. 



In the nerves connected with the sphenopalatine ganglion 

 there are two varieties of fibers, those of large size from the 

 maxillary nerve, and those of small size from the sphenopalatine 

 ganglion. In the nasopalatine nerve and in the posterior inferior 

 nasal branch of the anterior palatine the fine fibers are grouped 

 and leave the nerves as separate branches. These branches enter 

 glands and are assumed to contain glandular fibers although they 

 are not stained within the glands and could not be followed to 

 their final termination. 



In the posterior branch of the anterior palatine and in the 

 middle and posterior palatine nerves the fine fibers are inter- 

 mingled with those of larger size and terminate in company with 

 the larger fibers. Except certain of the fine fibers which enter 

 the walls of the blood-vessels the endings of the finer fibers could 

 not be determined. In the area of the palate supplied by the 

 posterior palatine nerve the fine fibers presumably supply the 

 palatal glands, the muscle fibers in the walls of the blood-vessels, 



