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222 ANATOMY.
other side. Occasionally the artery will be found to be exceedingly
large. When this is the case, in addition to the structures already
mentioned it usually supplies the stylo-glossus muscle, the tonsils,
epiglottis, and soft palate.
The Subl'mgiud Artery is, in reality, one of the terminal branches of
the lingual, the ranine artery being the other. It arises from the
lingual at a point opposite the anterior margin of the hyo-glossus
muscle. From this margin it passes forward between the genio-glossus
muscle and the sublingual gland, supplying the gland, the mucous
membrane of the floor of the mouth, the alveolo-lingual groove, and
gums ; also extending to the myhj-hyoid and other muscles of this
reo-ion.
The Ranine Artery is one of the terminal branches of the lingual. It
arises opposite the anterior margin of the hyo-glossus muscle, and passes
in a tortuous course within the structure of the muscle to a point near
the tip of the tongue, where it is quite superficial. In its course it gives
off numerous branches and communicates with the corresponding artery
of the opposite side. This anastomosis is the most important between
the branches of the lingual artery, the others being capillary in cha-
racter.
The nutrition of the two halves of the tongue supplied by each lin-
gual artery and its branches is comparatively independent. The ranine
artery being so superficially situated, and so close to tlie fraenum linguse,
there is some danger of cutting it in the operation for so-called tongue-
tie.
Variations.—The lingual artery may arise in conjunction with the facial
or superior thyroid, or the tliree arteries may arise as a common trunk
from the external carotid. Occasionally it arises from the internal max-
illary artery. Sometimes it accompanies the hypoglossal nerve along
the outer margin of the hyo-glossus muscle. The artery may be
entirely absent, and its place supplied by branches from the internal max-
illary, submental branches of the facial, or by the corresponding artery
of the other side. It occasionally gives origin to the ascending pha-
ryngeal artery, and the superior laryngeal, the submental, and the ascend-
ing palatine have been known to spring from it. Sometimes the supe-
rior hvoid branch of the lingual is entirely absent. When this is the
case its place is supplied by the inferior hyoid. The sublingual branch
of the lingual artery arises at times from the facial, and reaches its des-
tination by piercing the mylo-hyoid muscle.

The Facial or External Maxillary Artery.
The Facial or External Maxillary Artery (Fig. 108) is about 3-^ mm.
(^ inch) in calibre, and arises from the external carotid within the
carotid triangle a little above the lingual artery. It extends upward,
forward, and inward, passes beneath the posterior belly of the digas-
tric and the stylo-hyoid muscles, and enters the posterior part of
the submaxillary triangle. It then passes forward within the sub-
stance of the submaxillary muco-salivary gland, extending parallel
with the base of the lower jaw, close to the mylo-hyoid muscle. Leav-