BLOOD-VESSELS OF THE HEAD. 431 



A little higher is the superior coronary. Both these 

 course along the margins of the lips, close to the mucous 

 membrane, sending many branches to the substance of the 

 lips, and forming by anastomosis with their fellows of the 

 opposite sides, a complete circle round the mouth. 



The lateralis nasi is the next in order, supplying the side 

 and dorsum of the nose ; while the angularis is the termi- 

 nating branch of the facial, anastomosing with the nasal 

 branches of the ophthalmic. This artery in its ascent is 

 connected by anastomosis with the lingual, the inferior 

 dental as it escapes from the anterior mental foramen, the 

 transverse facial and inferior orbitar arteries. 



The inferior or ascending pliaryngeal artery is one of the 

 smallest branches of the external carotid, and varies in its 

 origin. It mostly arises opposite to the lingual, sometimes 

 higher up, and occasionally springs from one of the other 

 branches. It ascends on the side of the pharynx, covered 

 by the stylo-pharyngeus, to the base of the skull, where it 

 divides into its two principal branches, the pliaryngeal sup- 

 plying the pharynx, tonsils, palate, and Eustachian tube, 

 and the posterior meningeal passing through the foramen 

 lacerum posterius, and distributed upon the dura mater at 

 the base of the brain. 



The occipital artery arises opposite the facial, proceeds 

 backward behind the digastric, the sterno-mastoid, and 

 trachelo-mastoid muscles along the groove within the mas- 

 toid process, and then ascends upon the occiput between 

 the complexus and splenius muscles, anastomosing with its 

 fellow, the posterior auricular, and the temporal arteries. 



Its principal branches are muscular, supplying the mus- 

 cles just mentioned ; the inferior meningeal, which ascends 

 through the foramen lacerum posterius, to the dura mater, 

 and the princeps cervicis, which is a large branch and may 

 be regarded as the continued trunk of the occipital. It de- 

 scends to the deep muscles of the neck, and anastomoses 

 with the profunda cervicis of the subclavian, thus preserv- 

 ing the circulation, when the common carotid is ligated. 

 Posterior auricular artery is a small branch, and arises a 



