132 ORIGIN AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE NERVES. 



also goes to the velum palati, and another branch accompanies 

 the palatine blood-vessels, and ramifies over the soft palate. 



The facial branches of this division terminate on the front 

 and sides of the face, and receive communicating filaments 

 from the anterior facial branch of the portio dura, and with 

 them form a plexus. 



The third division, the posterior maxillary nerve, gives off 

 a branch which runs up in front of the parotid gland, and 

 joins the portio dura ; also branches called the buccal nerve, 

 pterygoideus, and gustatory. The latter descends by the side 

 of the tongue, penetrates that organ about its middle, and 

 vanishes in its tip. It also sends ramifications to the roots 

 of the incisive teeth, and to the under lip. 



Sixth pair, or abducentes, arise by means of filaments from 

 the medulla oblongata ; this nerve gives off two or three fila- 

 ments to the retractor oculi ; but its principal destination is 

 to the abductor, along the fascicula, of which its ramifications 

 are equally distributed. 



Seve?ith pair, or auditory nerves. — This pair includes two 

 separate nerves on either side ; one, from its remarkable soft- 

 ness, is denominated the portio mollis ; the other, in contra- 

 distinction, the portio dura. The portio mollis enters the 

 organ of hearing, and is distributed to the labyrinth. 



The pofetio dura arises from the medulla oblongata, and 

 passes to the internal part of the ear, the tympanum and 

 eustachian tube. It is also distributed to the temples, eye- 

 lids, nose, lips, cheek, and neck. 



Eighth pair, or par vagum. — At its commencement it 

 consists of two separate portions ; the first called the glosso- 

 pharyngeal nerve, and the second the true par vagum. They 

 arise from the corpora olivaria, and make their exit through 

 the base of the cranium. The glosso-pharyngeus gives off 

 branches, which join the portio dura, to the constrictors of 

 the pharynx, and form branches which ramify in the base of 

 the tongue. 



The proper par vagum, having disunited from the glosso- 

 pharyngeal nerve, proceeds downwards to join the carotid 



