THE COMMON CAROTID ARTERIES. 079 



5. A email maxillo-mwcular artery, rainifyiug entirely in tho internal ptt-'rygoid and the 

 eubcutanootis muscles. 



Superjictal temporal artery.— Thie vessel divides, almost at its origin, into three branches : 



1. A posterior, supplying the anterior arteries of the ear. 



2. An anterior, furming the tniiisverHe facial, and terminating by the coronary or labial 

 arteries, after giving some lamu.sciiles to the ma.sscter and tiie muscles of tiie fonheud. 



3. A median artery, representing tli(; middle temporal of Man. This vessel dt taohe-i some 

 divisions to the temporal muscle, gives oflf the lachrymal artery, as well as a palpebral branrh 

 rising from tlie same point, and terminates near the base of tlie cranium by two particular 

 arteri( 8 that are developed around the base of the horu, and form a real arterial circle Iruui 

 wliich inferior and superior divisions are given oflF. The latter are the most considerable, 

 and glide on the bony core of the frontal appendage, where they are distributed almost 

 exclusively to the generating membrane of the horny tiflsue, only throwing some fdaments into 

 the sinuses. 



Internal maxillary artery. — It does not traverse the subaphenoidal canal, as that bony 

 passage does not exist. 



The following are its principal branches : — 



1. The inferior dental artery, whicli emits some pterygoid ramuscules. 



2. The spheno-spinous artery, arising from the same point as tlie preceding, often in commoa 

 with it, giving also some pterygoid branches, and entering the cranium by the oval foramen to 

 aid in the formation of the rete mirabile, in a way to be indicated hereafter. 



3. The posterior deep temporal artery, which detaches a masseteric artery. 



4. The interior deep temporal artery. 



a. Tiie buccal, piincipally sent to the masseter muscle. 



6. The ophthalmic artery, longer than in the other animals, forming a loop before traversing 

 the orbital foramen, and giving a supra-orbital branch and a fasciculus of muscular and ciliary 

 arteries. Near the point where the originating trunk of this fasiculus is detached, the ophthalmic 

 artery shows on its course a very curious arrangement which has not yet been noticed ; we 

 believe tiiis is a veritable arterial plexus, in a ganglionic form, in principle exactly disposed a,s 

 that about to be described (Fig. 382, 19). 



7. The originating arteries of the rete mirabile, usually consisting of two principal vessels, 

 arising with the ophthalmic, passing backward tlirough the supra-sphenoidal canal, and rami- 

 fying in a special manner to form a mass of reticular twigs, designated the rete mirabile 

 (Fig. 382, 16). 



This network is a small ovoid mass, elongated from before to behind, placed beneath the 

 dura mater, on the siiie of the sella Turcica, within the superior maxillary nerve, and compo.sed 

 of a multitude of fine arterial divisions which anastomose with each other in an extremely 

 complicated manner. Its inferior extremity, passing into the supra-sphenoidal canal, receives 

 the generating arteries. The posterior extremity, coveted by the cliuoid process, is in com- 

 roimication with the spheno-spinous artery, which there expends itself. Towards its middle 

 part, and above, the twigs formint; it reconstitute themselves into a single trunk analogous 

 to the intercranial portion of the internal carotid of Solipeds (Fig. 382, 17), and which traverses 

 the dura mater, dividing into three branches. These are the anterior, middle, and posterior 

 cerebral arteries; the latter anastomoses, by convergence, with the homolo;.'ons artery of the 

 opposite side, behind the pituitary gland, to form the basilar artery and the middle spinal artery, 

 which continues it. 



This singular disposition of the arteries of the encephalon well deserves the name of rete 

 mirabile (wonderful network), by which it is known. If we were desirous of giving a summary 

 idea of thie network, we might compare it to a lymphatic gland, the efferent vessels of which 

 would be represented by the originating arteries with the spheno-spinous, and the efferents by 

 the originating trunk of the enceplialic arteries. 



8. Next comes the superior dental, the orbital branch of which presents a considerable 

 volume, and terminates on the anterior surface of the head by long superficial division:*. 

 Some of these — the ascending — anastomose with the inferior branches of the' arterial circle 

 situated around the base of the horn ; while others, the descending, communicate with the 

 infra-orfjitnl branch of the siime vi-ssel, and with the superior coronary artery. 



9. The last to be given off are the nasal and palatine arteries, which terminate the internal 

 maxillary: the nasal artery is disposed as in the Horse; the palatine goes entirely to the 

 palate. 



B. In the Ox, we find all the peculiarities just enumerated, except with the following 

 differences : — 



1. A little above the origin of the lingual artery, the external carotid givea rise to an 



