II20 A MANUAL OF ANATOMY 



The cervical part of the facial vein passes downwards and back- 

 wards superficial to the submaxillary gland. Having received 

 tributaries corresponding to the branches of the cervical part of the 

 artery, it unites with the anterior division of the temporo-maxillary 

 vein to form the common facial vein, which opens into the internal 

 jugular opposite the body of the hyoid bone. 



Occipital Artery. — ^The occipital artery arises from the posterior 

 aspect of the external carotid opposite the facial artery. It passes 

 at first upwards and slightly backwards beneath the posterior 

 belly of the digastric and stylo-hyoid muscles, and the hypoglossal 

 nerve, having hooked round it, passes forwards over it. Having 

 reached the level of the interval between the transverse process of 

 the atlas and the mastoid process, the artery changes its course, 

 and passes backwards to occupy the occipital groove on the 

 inner aspect of the mastoid process. In this baclavard course it 

 crosses the internal carotid artery, internal jugular vein, and 

 pneumogastric, spinal accessory, and hypoglossal nerves. As it 

 lies in the occipital groove the vessel is very deeply placed, being 

 covered by the following structures : (i) the origin of the posterior 

 belly of the digastric ; (2) the trachelo-mastoid ; (3) the splenius 

 capitis ; and (4) the stemo-cleido-mastoid. After escaping from 

 beneath the splenius capitis, the vessel takes an upward course over 

 the complexus to the occipital region, where it ramifies in a tor- 

 tuous manner, along with the branches of the great occipital nerve. 



Branches. — These are as follows : muscular ; meningeal ; mastoid ; 

 ramus princeps cervicis ; and terminal. 



The muscular branches are distributed to the adjacent muscles. 

 One of them crosses the hypoglossal nerve and enters the deep sur- 

 face of the stemo-cleido-mastoid muscle, in company with the spinal 

 portion of the spinal accessory nerve. The meningeal branch 

 accompanies the internal jugular vein, and enters the cranial 

 cavity through the jugular foramen to supply the dura mater of 

 the posterior fossa. The mastoid branch passes through the arterial 

 fissure in the mastoid process, and supplies the adjacent dura mater. 

 The ramus princeps cervicis and the terminal branches have been 

 already described (see p. 1062). 



The occipital veins will be found described on p. 1063. 



Posterior Auricular Artery. — ^This vessel arises from the posterior 

 aspect of the external carotid a little above the origin of the occipital 

 artery, and above the posterior belly of the digastric. It passes 

 upwards and slightly backwards under cover of the lower part of 

 the parotid gland, and over the styloid process of the temporal 

 bone, being crossed by the facial nerve. Having reached the 

 groove between the back of the auricle and the mastoid process, 

 where it meets the posterior auricular nerve, it divides into two 

 branches, auricular and mastoid. 



Branches. — ^These are as follows : muscular ; glandular ; stylo- 

 mastoid ; auricular ; and mastoid. 



The muscular branches supply the adjacent muscles. The 

 glandular branches are distributed to the lower part of the parotid 



