88 ALBERT KUNTZ 



opment advances, however, the cells in the semilunar ganglion 

 increase in size more rapidly than those which have advanced 

 farther peripherally. Consequently, during the later stages of 

 development, the cells in the otic ganglion appear materially 

 smaller than those in the semilunar ganglion. This disparity in 

 the size of the cells in the otic ganglion, as in the case of the 

 sphenopalatine ganglion, becomes less marked after they have 

 become differentiated into neuroblasts. 



During the later stages of development, fibers may be traced 

 from the mandibular nerve into the otic ganglion. These fibers, 

 doubtless, give rise to both the secretory and the sensory short 

 roots of the adult ganglion. In the course of development, the 

 otic ganglion becomes connected also with the facial and the 

 glossopharyngeal nerves by the small superficial petrosal nerve. 

 The delicate sympathetic root which in the adult condition 

 connects the otic ganglion with the sympathetic plexus on 

 the middle meningeal artery could not be observed in my 

 preparations. 



As already indicated, cells advance peripherally both from the 

 semilunar ganglion and from the wall of the rhombencephalon 

 along the path of the mandibular nerve. That cells which 

 advance peripherally from the semilunar ganglion enter the anlage 

 of the otic ganglion can not be doubted. Inasmuch as the motor 

 root of the trigeminal nerve unites with the mandibular division 

 just proximal to the otic ganglion, it is highly probable that 

 many cells which wander out from the wall of the rhomben- 

 cephalon along the fibers of this motor root also become incor- 

 porated in this ganglion. It is probable, therefore, that the otic 

 ganglion receives cells from both the semilunar ganglion and the 

 nidulus of the motor root of the trigeminal nerve. Perhaps all 

 the nervous elements which take part in the development of the 

 otic ganglion are derived from these two sources. The relation- 

 ships of the small superficial petrosal nerve to the facial and the 

 glossopharyngeal nerves render it highly improbable that any 

 cells which wander out along the path of the former are 

 contributed to the otic ganglion. Furthermore, the anlage of 

 the otic ganglion is well established before any trace of the small 



