THE ARTERIES 135 



and under the zygomaticus to gain the deep face of the levator labii 

 superioris alsque nasi muscle. It is distributed to the upper lip, 

 and it anastomoses with the incisor trunk of the palato-labial 

 arteries, which comes forwards to the upper lip through the 

 incisor foramen. 



Terminal Branches of the Submaxillary Artery. 



(i) The angular artery rxins. upwards on the levator labii superioris 

 proprius muscle and is distributed to the region below the orbit. 

 It contracts an anastomosis with the orbital branch of the superior 

 dental artery. 



(2) The nasal branch runs obliquely downwards and forwards 

 to be distributed to the nostril. 



B. The maxillo-muscular artery. — This branch of the external 

 carotid runs downwards and forwards and splits into two divisions, 

 which pass one on either side of the vertical ramus. The outer 

 division pierces the masseter muscle and is distributed to it, whilst 

 the inner division is distributed to the internal pterygoid muscle. 



C. The posterior auricular artery. — This vessel takes a course 

 upwards beneath the parotid gland, and it passes on to the occipito- 

 styloid muscle, where it splits up into two divisions, one of which 

 is distributed to the base of the concha and the other runs up the 

 back of the conchal cartilage to terminate near the tip of the ear. 



Terminal Branches of the External Carotid Artery. 



A. The superficial temporal artery. — This is a very short 

 vessel, which takes an upward course on the styloid cornu and 

 splits up into the transverse facial and anterior auricular arteries. 



(i) The transverse facial artery. — This vessel curves round 

 the posterior border of the vertical ramus just below the 

 condyle. After a very short course it dips into the masseter 

 muscle, to which it is distributed. 



