OSTEOLOGY. 27 



Its posterior border presents 



The posterior nasal spine for the azygos uvulae muscles. 



The internal border articulates with its fellow and presents 



A crest for the vomer. 



The vertical plate projects upward and inward, terminating 

 above in two well-marked processes the orbital and sphenoidal 

 processes. 



The internal surface forms part of the outer wall of the 

 nasal fossa, and presents 



An inferior turbinated crest for the inferior turbinated 

 bone; 



A superior turbinated crest for the middle turbinated bone, 

 separating the middle from the inferior meatus of the nose. 



The external surface forms part of the spheno-maxillary 

 fossa and covers part of the orifice of the antrum. 



It presents at the posterior part 



A groove, converted by the superior maxilla into a canal, 

 the posterior palatine, for the passage of the descending palatine 

 vessels and the descending palatine branches from Meckel's gan- 

 glion. 



The anterior border presents 



The maxillary process, closing part of the orifice of the 

 antrum. 



The pterygoid process, or tuborosity of the palate, at its 

 lower part wedged in between the pterygoid plates of the sphe- 

 noid, and giving origin to part of the superior constrictor and 

 the internal pterygoid muscles. 



Foramina of accessory descending palatine canals, for pos- 

 terior descending branches from Meckel's ganglion. 



The ORBITAL PROCESS, a large, hollow, triangular process, is 

 so called from its forming part of the orbit. 



It presents 



The anterior or maxillary articular surface for superior 

 maxilla; 



The posterior or sphenoidal articular surface for sphenoid ; 



The internal or ethmoidal articular surface for ethmoid; 



A superior or orbital surface, a smooth portion entering into 

 the formation of the orbit; 



An external or zygomatic surface, also smooth, forming part 

 of the zygomatic fossa. 



THE SPHENOIDAL PROCESS is a small, thin plate of bone 

 which articulates by its upper surface with the sphenoidal tur- 

 binated bone; its inner surface forms part of the nasal fossa, 

 and its outer surface articulates with the pterygoid process of 

 the sphenoid and forms part of the spheno-maxillary fossa. 



