44 PRACTICAL ANATOMY. 



with the nasal; its apex, thick and serrated, with the 

 frontal ; its posterior projecting edge, with the lachrymal, 

 forming the lachrymal canal. The external surface is 

 smooth, slightly concave, and presents a few nutrient 

 foramina, and affords attachment to muscles. The pos- 

 terior border is grooved by the lachrymal duct. The 

 inner surface has been described. The palate process is 

 a thick, spongy, shelf-like plate of bone, which projects 

 horizontally inward from the inner surface of the supe- 

 rior maxillary. It begins at the anterior surface of the 

 bone, and passes backward, terminating posteriorly on a 

 line just above the anterior portion of the second molar 

 tooth, and nearly opposite the posterior surface of the 

 malar process. The palatine process presents for exami- 

 nation a superior and inferior surface, a posterior and 

 internal border. The superior surface is concave from 

 side to side, smooth, and forms the floor of the nose. 

 The inferior surface is rough, perforated by many nutri- 

 ent foramina, and is slightly grooved for the passage of 

 vessels. The inner border is thick. Along its upper sur- 

 face i is thrown into a sharp lip, which, in the articulated 

 skull, forms a crest that is continued backward from the 

 anterior nasal spine ; it articulates with the vomer. The 

 anterior portion of the palatine process is thicker than 

 the posterior ; its inferior surface is curved upward and 

 backward, beginning at the necks of the incisor teeth. 

 The inner border behind the central incisor is grooved 

 (sometimes it presents a canal), and, when articulated 

 with its fellow, forms the anterior palatine canal. It 

 transmits the anterior palatine vessels. The posterior 

 border is thin, rough for articulation with the palate, and 

 concave on the upper edge. The alveolar process is a 

 temporary structure, and but little developed prior to 

 the eruption of the teeth. It entirely disappears in 



