Henry L. Bruner 49 
which I shall call ramus communicans n. glossopharyngei cum n. maxil- 
lari, arises in Lacerta agilis by three roots, which may be distinguished 
as dorsal, ventral, and lateral. 
The dorsal root, pars dorsalis (r. d., Text Figs. 2 and 7), is united at 
its origin with the ramus communicans externus n. glossopharyngei cum 
n. faciali. The common trunk arises from the ganglion glossopharyngel 
and runs forward as far as the median attachment of the constrictor 
muscle. Here the two nerves separate, the pars dorsalis running laterad 
above the jugular vein to join the pars ventralis and the pars lateralis, 
as described below, while the ramus communicans externus passes below 
the vein to reach the ramus posterior VII. 
Whe ventral root, pars ventralis (r. v., Text Figs. 2 and 7; Fig. 3, 
Plate I). The fibers of this root usually leave the ganglion glossophar- 
yngei with the ramus communicans internus n. glossopharyngei cum n. 
faciali. At the median attachment of the constrictor muscle the pars 
ventralis fibers leave the common trunk and form a separate nerve, which 
bends laterad through the ventral part of the constrictor muscle. On 
the lateral aspect of the jugular vein, and just in front of the lateral 
attachment of the constrictor muscle, the pars ventralis joins the pars 
lateralis. 
In one of the specimens examined the pars ventralis is a separate 
nerve from its origin at the ganglion glossopharyngei to its junction 
with the pars lateralis. 
The lateral root, pars lateralis. This nerve seems to spring from the 
ramus posterior facialis (Text Figs. 2 and 7). A careful examination 
has shown, however, that it comes from the ramus communicans externus 
n. glossopharyngei cum n. facial, the fibers of the pars lateralis passing 
directly through the dorsal part of the ramus posterior VII and emerging 
on the lateral aspect of that nerve, where they join the pars ventralis. The 
junction of the two nerves is marked by a small ganglion (7. /. v. g., Text 
Fig. 7), from which a single nerve turns dorsad and join the pars dor- 
salis, thus forming the trunk of the ramus communicans n. glosso- 
pharyngei cum n. maxillari. This nerve enters a groove on the rostral 
surface of the parotic process and ascends to the top of the head, where 
it runs forward in company with the vena supratemporalis and the arteria 
temporo-muscularis (7. c. m.. Text Figs. 2 and 7; Fig. 4, Plate I). 
The three nerves just described (rami communicantes, internus and 
externus, n. glossopharyngei cum n. faciali and ramus communicans n. 
glossopharyngei cum n. maxillari) occur also in Monitor, in which their 
relations are more easily demonstrated than in Lacerta. The rami 
4 , 
