34 ELEMENTS OF MAMMALIAN ANATOMY. 
projections are the posterior clinoid processes. On each 
side of the basisphenoid there extends dorsally in a narrow 
strip to the parietal the alisphenoid, at the base of which, 
craniad of the auditory bulla, are three foramina in a line. 
The most cranial and largest one is the sphenoidal fissure, 
or anterior lacerated foramen, which transmits the third, 
fourth, and sixth cranial nerves supplying the eyeball 
muscles, and the first branch of the fifth nerve. This 
foramen is between the alisphenoid and the orbitosphenoid. 
The other two foramina, rotundum and ovale, transmit the 
second and third divisions of the fifth nerve. 
TABLE OF THE FORAMINA OF THE SKULL. 
FoRAMINA. | Bones SURROUNDING SrrucTuRES TRAVERSING THE 
| THE ForaAMIna. ForaMIna. 
Infraorbital. pense: maxillary} Infraorbital nerve of the su- 
perior maxillary division of 
the fifth. 
Anterior palatine. | Maxillary and pre-| Nasopalatine branch of the 
maxillary. fifth cranial nerve and nasal 
artery. 
Sphenopalatine. | Palatine. Sphenopalatine nerve and 
sphenopalatine artery. 
Posterior palatine.| Palatine. Palatine nerve and artery. 
Olfactory fora- | Ethmoid. Olfactory nerve. 
mina. | 
Optic. Orbitosphenoid. Optic nerve and meningeal 
artery. 
Lacerum anterius,) Alisphenoid and Third, fourth, and sixth cranial 
or sphenoidal fis- | orbitosphenoid. nerves and first division of 
sure. fifth cranial nerve. 
Rotundum. | Alisphenoid. Second division of fifth cranial 
nerve, 
Ovale. Alisphenoid. Third division of fifth cranial 
| nerve. 
Lacerum medium. | Petrous and basi-| Internal carotid artery. 
| sphenoid. 
Internal auditory) Petrous. Eighth cranial nerve. 
meatus. 
Aqueduct of Fallo-| Petrous, mastoid,| Seventh cranial nerve. 
pius. and tympanic. 
Stylomastoid. Tympanic and Seventh cranial nerve. 
mastoid. 
Jugular or poster- | Occipital and tem-) Ninth, tenth, and eleventh 
ior lacerated. poral. cranial nerves and jugular 
vein. 
Anterior condyloid | Exoccipital. Twelfth cranial nerve. 
