NERVUS FACIALIS OF ALBINO MOUSE 107 



and the taste-buds, if these structures receive their innervation 

 from the facial nerve. From what has been said above, however, 

 concerning the minute bundles of fine fibers from the sphenopala- 

 tine ganglion to the posterior palatine nerve, it does not seem 

 possible that they are numerically sufficient for the supply of all 

 of these structures. The only other possible source for their 

 nerve supply is from the sympathetic or the trigeminal nerve. 



The evidences from comparative anatomy do not materially 

 assist in clearing up this problem. In petromyzonts, Johnston 

 ('08) found that the maxillary nerve supplied the roof of the 

 mouth. The palate of bony fish (Herrick, '99, '00, '01) is sup- 

 plied by the ramus palatinus VII. In the amphibians Coghill 

 ('01, '02) and Norris ('08, '13) describe anastomoses between the 

 ramus palatinus VII and branches from the fifth nerve, the re- 

 sulting nerves being distributed to the roof of the mouth, the 

 teeth and the nasal capsule. In none of these forms is there a 

 sphenopalatine ganglion present, although Johnston ('08) de- 

 scribes ganglion cells in the roof of the mouth in cyclostomes, and 

 Norris ('08), in Amphiuma means, mentions ganglion cells at cer- 

 tain points on the anastomoses between the ramus palatinus VII 

 and ramus ophthalmicus profundus V. Norris, in Siren lacertina 

 ('13) also describes branches from the ramus platinus VII to 

 the vessels of the roof of the mouth. 



In this connection it is interesting to note that Herrick ('16, 

 p. 243) says, "Unlike the visceral, sensory system, however, its 

 (referring to the gustatory apparatus) peripheral fibers have no 

 connection with the sympathetic nervous system and the reac- 

 tions may be vividly conscious." If this statement be literally 

 true, then the taste-fibers of the palate must come from the 

 trigeminal nerve. This is hardly probable, for Herrick ('01) has 

 shown that in the siluroid fishes, where the taste-buds are very 

 numerous, none of them are directly supplied by the trigeminal 

 nerve. If this statement means that taste-fibers have no con- 

 nection with sympathetic ganglion cells, then it is possible for 

 the taste-buds of the palate to be supplied by fibers from the 

 facial nerve which pass through the sphenopalatine ganglion 

 without interruption. 



