242 
ANATOMY OF THE RABBIT. 
mylohyoid nerve. These structures, together with the 
inferior alveolar artery may be freed from their loose 
connections with the pterygoidei, so that they may be left 
in place for further study. The two pterygoidei may then 
be detached at their poimt of origin from the skull and 
removed. 
6. The branches of the common carotid may be traced in the 
anterior portion of the ventral surface of the neck as follows: 
(a) 
(b) 
(c) 
(d) 
(e) 
(f) 
The internal carotid (a. carotis interna) is a small vessel 
given off from the dorsal wall (pp. 133, 278). The trunk 
then passes forward as the external carotid (a. carotis 
externa). 
The occipital artery (a. occipitalis) passes from the dorsal 
wall to the posterior portion of the head. 
The stylohyoideus major, a slender muscle arising with the 
digastricus from the stylohyoid ligament and inserted on the greater 
cornu of the hyoid, should be divided. The tendon of the digastricus 
may be reflected. 
The lingual artery (a. lingualis) arises from the ventral 
wall and passes forward into the tongue. 
The hypoglossal nerve crosses the ventral surface of the artery 
and should be kept intact. 
The external maxillary artery (a. maxillaris externa) is 
given off immediately in front of the lingual artery, some- 
times in common with it. It passes forward on the medial 
surface of the ventral border of the mandible (medial to the 
digastricus), giving branches to the submaxillary gland and 
to the muscles of mastication. The vessel has been divided 
at the point where it passes around the ventral border of the 
mandible to the lateral surface of the face. ; 
The internal maxillary artery (a. maxillaris interna), one 
of the two terminal branches of the external carotid, passes 
in the direction of the orbit (p. 251), giving off the inferior 
alveolar artery to the mandible. 
The superficial temporal artery (a. temporalis super- 
ficialis), the second terminal branch, passes dorsad to the 
temporal region, supplying the latter and the base of the ear. 
The transverse facial artery, which crosses the cheek, is 
an anterior branch of this vessel. 
