506 ORGANS OF DIGESTION. 



the palate, being blended there with the transverse fasciculus of 

 the stylo-glossus muscle. It has its lower edge 'overlapped by 

 the constrictor medius ; and its fibres are more horizontal, ge- 

 nerally, than those of the preceding muscles. It is inserted 

 into its fellow by a middle line, the upper end of which adheres 

 to the cuneiform process of the os occipitis. The superior 

 margin of this muscle between the pterygoid process of the 

 sphenoid, and the cuneiform process of the occipital makes a 

 crescentic line, the concavity of which is upwards. 



The constrictor muscles of the pharynx, by their successive 

 contraction, convey the food from the mouth into the oeso- 

 phagus. 



The Stylo-Pharyngeus, which is mentioned among the mus- 

 cles of the neck, forms an interesting portion of the structure 

 of the pharynx, and may be considered on a footing with the 

 longitudinal fibres of the oesophagus and of the intestines; being 

 intended to shorten the pharynx by arising from, or having a 

 fixed point at the styloid process above, and by being jotned 

 into the pharynx below. Its fibres being first of all on the out- 

 side of the upper constrictor, are readily traced between the 

 lining membrane and the two lower constrictors to the poste- 

 rior margin of the thyroid cartilage ; into which, after spread- 

 ing out considerably, they are finally inserted. 



The intermediate membrane of the pharynx is merely con- 

 densed cellular tissue, which joins the muscular to the mucous 

 coat. 



The internal or mucous membrane of the pharynx, which 

 lines the last, is spread uniformly over it; the only irregularity 

 of its surface being made by the presence of mucous follicles 

 and glands, which are more abundant above between the pos- 

 terior margins of the two slylo-pharyngei than below. It is 

 covered by a very delicate epidermis, and is supplied with two 

 arteries on each side, the superior and inferior pharyngeal, the 

 first of which cornes from the internal maxillary, and the se- 

 cond from the external carotid. It exhibits a number of small 

 veins, which run into the internal jugular or some of its 

 branches. 



