132 ANTHROPOLOGY. 
nicates with the superior cervical ganglion of the sympathetic above, and 
with the continued cord of this nerve lower down; also with the pneumo- 
gastric, lingual, and spinal accessory. Besides numerous muscular fila- 
ments, it sends off various cutaneous branches, which are either ascending 
or desiending: 
The ascending branches are: a. Superficialis coll, arising about the 
middle of the neck, and distributed on the anterior and lateral region of the 
neck. 06. The auricularis magnus arises in the same situation and ascends 
nearly parallel and posterior to it; at the parotid gland it divides into two 
branches, one superficial, the other deep, which supply the external ear and 
sides of the scalp. c. The occipitalis minor arises near the last from the 
second cervical nerve, and ascending is distributed to the skin and occipito- 
frontalis muscle. 
The descending branches are superficial and deep. The superficial 
branches, or supra-clavicular, are long and rather large; they arise from 
the third and fourth cervical nerves, and pass to muscles of the neck and 
shoulder. The: deep descending branches are: a. The muscular. These 
arise from different parts of the plexus, and are principally distributed to 
the trapezius, levator anguli scapularis, and sterno-mastoid muscles. 6. The 
communicatiny branches are very numerous. From the second and third 
roots of the plexus descends the communicans noni to the hyoid apparatus 
c. The most important branch of the cervical plexus is the internal respr- 
ratory or phrenic nerve. This arises from the lower part of the plexus, and. 
descending on the anterior scalenus muscle, enters the thorax between the 
subclavian vein and artery; passing down the middle mediastinum to the 
diaphragm on the side of the pericardium, the left phrenic takes an oblique 
course round the base of the heart. : 
Pl. 187, fig. 15, superficial nerves of the cervical plexus: *, superficial 
temporal nerve of the fifth pair; *, occipitalis magnus; *, superior cutaneous 
cervical nerve, from the facial; *, auricularis magnus; °, occipitalis minor ; 
°, an inconstant occipital nerve, ”’, some posterior cutaneous branches; 
*, accessory nerve; °, supra-scapular nerve; *, supra-clavicular nerve; 
', middle cutaneous cervical nerve; ”, a small branch accompanying the’ 
jugular vein; *’, connexion of the cervical plexus with the facial nerve. 
The» ae peer of the last four cervical, and = of the first 
dorsal, unite to form the brachial plexus. 
3. THE BracuiaAL Puiexus. This plexus is broad and flat, the nerves 
forming it being very large, particularly the inferior. It-is situated at the 
lower and lateral parts of the neck, between the scalenic muscles and the 
subclavian artery ; 1t then passes under the clavicle into the axilla, where it 
rests on the serratus magnus, ending opposite to the coracoid process. ‘The 
numerous branches of this plexus may be arranged into two orders, one 
(supra-clavicular) arisimg above the clavicle, the other (axillary) arising 
from below this bone. 
The supra-clavicular branches are as follows: 1. For the subclavian 
muscle. 2. Small branches from the upper: root ofthe plexus to the 
scaleni, levator anguli, and rhomboidei muscles. 8. Posterior thoracie or 
838 
