830 THE NERVES. 



In its course this nerve communicates with the inferior branches of the 

 second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth cervical pairs by branches from them ; it 

 sends numerous collateral filaments into the texture of the panniculus. 



10. Filaments of the Guttural Pouch and Parotid Gland. — Re- 

 markable for their number and tenuity, these filaments do not otherwise deserve 

 particular mention. 



11. Posterior Auricular Nerve (Fig. 453, 2). — It commences at the 

 stylo-mastoid foramen, is directed upwards beneath the parotid gland, accom- 

 panying the posterior auricular artery, and is distributed to the posterior muscles 

 of the external ear. It sometimes has at its origin a loop analogous to that 

 embracing the posterior auricular artery. 



12. Middle Auricular Nerve. — Most frequently this arise from the same 

 point as the preceding nerve — it might be said in common with it — ascends 

 towards the base of the concha in traversing the parotid gland, and pierces the 

 cartilage to supply the interconchal integument, and the muscular fibres which 

 cover its adherent face in some parts. 



13. Anterior Auricular Nerve (Fig. 453, 5). — This is the largest of the 

 three auricular nerves. After being detached from the facial nerve, opposite 

 the cervical branch, and after ascending across the parotideal tissue, it gains 

 the external face of the zygomatic process, where it meets the superficial 

 divisions of the lachrymal nerve ; it continues forward beneath the external 

 parieto-auricular muscle, reaches the base of the orbital process at the supra- 

 orbital foramen, there crossing the terminal branches of the nerve of that name ; 

 it then descends verticaUy within the orbit to below the nasal angle of the eye, 

 where it mixes with the superficial divisions of the palpebro-nasal nerve, and 

 finally terminates on the face of the lachrymalis and levator labii superioris 

 alaequi nasi muscles. 



In its progress, it gives off numerous ramuscules to the anterior muscles of 

 the ear, the levator palpebr^e superioris, and the orbicularis of the eyelids. 



This nerve is remarkable for the relations it maintains with the terminal 

 ramuscules of the three . branches of the ophthalmic nerve, or fifth pair. 

 Although there do not exist any real anastomoses between it and these various 

 branches, it is customary to designate the reticular mass they form in front of 

 the ear and on the side of the face, as the anterior auricular plexus. 



Terminal Branches of the Facial Nerve, or SuBZYaoMATic Plexus 

 (Fig. 168, 11, 12). — The facial nerve, as we have seen, terminates in several 

 branches — usually two, on arriving beneath the temporo-maxillary articulation, 

 where they join the superficial temporal nerve. After becoming sensor i-motor, 

 they are continued on the external face of the masseter, covered by the panni- 

 culus muscle of the head, to which they give some ramuscules, and are united 

 to each other by anastomosing branches of variable disposition. It is always 

 observed, with regard to this arrangement, that the branches of the subzygo- 

 matic plexus, on arriving near the anterior border of the masseter, are divided 

 into a series of divergent ramuscules which pass to the surface of the vascular or 

 glandular canals situated in front of the masseter, to enter the tissues of the 

 lips, cheeks, and nostrils.^ 



' The following is an extract from a memoir by Arlning and Tripier. " On tlie Conditions 

 of Persistency of Sensibility in the Peripberal Extremity of Out Nerves" (^Archives de 

 Physidogie, 1876), relating the ditiereuces observed in the arrangement of the subzygomatic 



