The Framework of the Body 2 7 



THE BONES OF THE HEAD 



^37. The Head, or Skull. The bones of the skeleton 

 may be divided for convenience into those of the head, the 

 trunk, and the limbs. 



The bones of the head are described in two parts, those 

 of the cranium, or brain-case, and those of the face. Taken 

 together, they form the skull. 



38. The Cranium. The cranium is a dome-like structure, 

 made up in the adult of eight distinct bones firmly locked 

 together. These bones are : 



1 Frontal, i Occipital, 



2 Parietal, i Sphenoid, 

 2 Temporal, i Ethmoid. 



The frontal bone forms the forehead and front of the 

 head. 



The parietal bones form the sides and roof of the skull. 

 The two bones make a beautiful arch to aid in the protection 

 of the brain. 



The temporal bones form the temples on either side. In 

 each bone is the cavity containing three little bones which 

 form a part of the organs of hearing. 



The occipital bone forms the lower part, or base, of the 

 skull, as well as the back of the head. Its lower part is 

 pierced by a large oval opening called the foramen magnum, 

 through which the spinal cord becomes continuous with 

 the brain. 



The sphenoid bone is so called because it is wedged in 

 at the base of the skull between all the other bones of the 

 cranium, and locks together fourteen different bones. It 

 bears a fancied resemblance to a bat with extended wings 

 and forms a series of girders to the arches of the cranium. 



