Herrick, Cranial Nerves of the Cod Fish. 289 



At about the same transverse plane as the origin of the 

 first rootlet a portion of the geniculate ganglion, as already 

 mentioned, is wedged in between the trigeminal root and the 

 ventral lateralis root, lying internally to these roots. The third 

 rootlet arises from the geniculate ganglion at this point (Figs, i 

 and 5, rec. j.). Its fibers, however, do not rise wholly or chiefly 

 from these cells, but from cells of the geniculate ganglion lying 

 farther mesially, viz. those in the most dorsal and cephalic por- 

 tion of the ganglion, and from its middle portion farther caudad. 

 As the fibers squeeze through between the trigeminus and 

 ventral lateral roots, they turn caudad, bordering the most 

 caudal edge of the Gasserian ganglion, which runs back in the 

 same notch between the trigeminus and ventral lateral roots but 

 on the outer side of the roots. There is no evidence that the 

 lateralis accessorius rootlet receives any fibers from the Gasser- 

 ian ganglion ; in fact the appearances are all against such a con- 

 nection, though some points in the peripheral distribution would 

 suggest it. In any case the number of such fibers would be 

 very small, both absolutely and as compared with the number 

 of communis fibers from the geniculate ganglion. The third 

 rootlet, as stated above, is joined by the second rootlet and the 

 two run back in the same position to join the first root. 



As already indicated, the three rootlets from the geniculate 

 ganglion having fused to form the r. recurrens VII run directly 

 dorsad. As it passes along the outer side of the dorsal later- 

 alis root, it receives from the most extreme dorsal edge of the 

 lateral line ganglion a very few coarse fibers (Fig. 3, /. rec. 

 VII.), which may be followed from this point on among the 

 fine communis fibers. 



The root, as thus composed, continues directly dorsad in 

 the meninges along the lateral aspect of the optic lobe and 

 passes through a foramen in the top of the cranium. 



Just before its emergence from the cranium it receives an 

 addition from behind. This is the vagal root of the r. later- 

 alis accessorius, which is much smaller than the facial root and 

 like it contains a few coarse fibers along with the very fine ones. 

 This root in my specimens agrees, with some variation in de- 



