BRANCHES OF THE FACIAL NERVE. 651 



the digastric branch to the muscle from which it is named. This nerv© 

 is connected with the plexus of the sympathetic on the external carotid 

 artery. 



Temporo-facial divisiox. — The temporo-facial, the larger of the 

 two primary divisions into which the main trunk of the facial nerve 

 separates, is directed forwards through the parotid gland. Its ramifi- 

 cations and connections with other nerves form a network over the side 

 of the face, extending as high as the temple and as low as the mouth. 

 Its branches are arranged in temporal, malar, and infraorbital sets. 



(a) The temporal hranches ascend over the zygoma to the side of the head. 

 Some end in the anterior muscle of the auricle and the integument of the temple, 

 and communicate -with the temporal branch of the upper maxillaiy nerve near the 

 ear. as well as with (according to Jleckel) the auriculo-temporal branch of the 

 lower maxillary nerve. Other branches enter the occipito-frontalis, the orbicu- 

 laris palpebrarum, and the corrugator supercilii muscles, and join offsets from 

 the supraorbital branch of the ophthalmic nerve. 



(h) The mdlar hmncJws cross the malar bone to reach the outer side of the 

 orbit, and supply the orbicular muscle. Some filaments are distributed to both 

 the upper and lower eyelids : those in the upper eyelid join filaments from the 

 lachl•J^nal and supraorbital nerves ; and tliose in the lower lid are connected with 

 filaments from the upper maxillary nerve. Filaments from this part of the facial 

 nerve communicate with the malar branch of the upper maxillary nerve. 



(f) The infraorhitul branc/ic.t, of larger size than the other branches, are almost 

 horizontal in direction, and are distributed between the orbit and mouth. They 

 supply the buccinator and orbicularis oris muscles, the elevators of the upper lip 

 and angle of the mouth, and likewise the integument. Numerous communica- 

 tions take place with the fifth nerve. Beneath the elevator of the upper lip these 

 nerves are united in a plexus with the branches of the upper maxillary nerve ; 

 on the side of the nose they communicate with the nasal, and at the inner angle 

 of the orbit with the infratrochlear nerve. The lower branches of this set are 

 connected with those of the cervico-facial division. 



Near its commencement the temporo-facial division of the facial is connected 

 with the auriculo-temporal nerve of the fifth, by one or two branches of consi- 

 derable size which tm-n round the external carotid artery ; and it gives some 

 filaments to the tragus of the outer ear. 



Cervico-facial division. — This division of the facial nerve is 

 directed obliquely through the parotid gland towards the angle of the 

 lower jaw, and gives branches to the face, below those of the preceding 

 division, and to the upper part of the neck. The branches are named 

 buccal, supramaxillary, and inframaxillary. In the gland, this division 

 of the facial nerve is joined by filaments of the great auricular nerve 

 of the cervical plexus, and offsets from it penetrate the substance of 

 the gland. 



(n) The buccal hranches are directed across the masseter muscle to the angle 

 of the mouth ; supplying the muscles, they communicate with the temporo-facial 

 division, and on the buccinator muscle join with filaments of the buccal branch 

 of the lower maxillary nerve. 



(Ji) The xu2)raina.flllar>/ Jr^?;*^'^, sometimes double, gives an offset over the side 

 of the maxilla to the angle of the mouth, and is then directed inwards, beneath 

 the depressor of the angle of the mouth, to the muscles and integument between 

 the lip and chin ; it joins -n-ith the labial branch of the lower dental nerve. 



(f) The inframaxiUartj br-anches (r. subcutanci colli) perforate the deep cervical 

 fascia, and, placed beneath the platysma muscle, form arches across the side of 

 the neck as low as the hyoid bone. Some branches join the superficial cervical 

 nerve beneath the platysma, others enter that muscle, and a few perforate it to 

 end in the integument. 



