Il6 STRONG. [Vol. X. 



The Dorsal VII {''VII ^"). — When this separates from the 

 dorsal side of the VIII, a portion of the latter intervenes be- 

 tween it and the ventral VII (VII aa + VII ah). As the VIII 

 passes into the auditory capsule the V emerges from the 

 medulla, so that there is only a narrow space between the V 

 and the VIII. Into the upper part of this space the dorsal 

 VII is wedged; into the lower part the ventral VII (VII aa + 

 VII ab) (PL X, Fig. 25). The fibres of the ventral half of the 

 dorsal VII soon begin to bend ventrad, and at 842 separate 

 from the dorsal half. Caudad of this a few fibres pass ventro- 

 cephalad from this ventral half to unite with some fibres 

 detached from the ventral VII. The ventral half of the dorsal 

 VII, after its separation from the dorsal half, passes ventrad 

 between the V and VIII nerves, and comes to lie (832 ±) 

 immediately above the ventral VII, with which it unites. It 

 here lies immediately above the bundle of coarse fibres, VII ab, 

 occupying the outer side of the ventral VII (PI. X, Fig. 25). 

 The union of these two bundles now becomes so close that 

 they can only with some difficulty be distinguished ; but the 

 course of their respective fibres can be stated with consider- 

 able certainty from three other grounds also, viz., the distri- 

 bution of the dorsal half of the dorsal VII; the nature of the 

 fibres of certain branches in the distribution of the ventral 

 VII + >^ dorsal VII; and the relations of homologous bundles 

 in Amblystoma. Owing to the close relations of this portion 

 of the dorsal VII to the ventral VII its further course can, 

 however, be most conveniently described in connection with 

 the latter. 



The dorsal half of the dorsal VII remains close to the V, 

 and as it proceeds cephalad comes gradually to lie immediately 

 above it. At 775 it becomes ganglionated, and at 751 divides 

 into two nearly equal parts. 



The lower of these divisions (>^VII b^ passes ectad just 

 beneath the anterior extremity of the auditory capsule and 

 above the Gasserian ganglion. About here it gives off a twig 

 of a few fibres (>^ VII b^^, 732), which can be traced ectad to 

 lateral line sense organs lying in the skin some . 1 5 mm. caudad 

 of the caudal surface of the eyeball. 



