The dorsal and ventral surfaces are smooth and continuous respectively with the dorsal and lateral surfaces of the body. The dorsal surface looks into the cranial cavity, while the ventral looks into the orbitotemporal fossa.
Craniad of the apex of the wing its border articulates with the ventral edge of the orbital portion of the frontal bone. Caudad of the apex the border articulates with the cranial border of the wing of the sphenoid.
Temporal Bone. Os temporale
([Figs. 22] and [23]).—This forms a part of the lateral wall of the cranium, filling the gap between the occipital and the sphenoidal segments. It is made up of three portions which are distinct in kittens but somewhat firmly united in adult cats. In lower vertebrates these portions are distinct bones called the Squamous, the Petrous, and the Tympanic bones. In the cat they may be described as the squamous (a), petrous (b), and tympanic (c) portions of the temporal bone.
[Fig. 22].—Temporal Bone, External Surface.
![[Fig. 22]](#3418956513767812439_illo031alg.jpg.id-3604800214792121499.wrap-0.html.html){kind=link}
[Fig. 23].—Temporal Bone, Internal Surface.
![[Fig. 23]](#3418956513767812439_illo031blg.jpg.id-5538839769728882982.wrap-0.html.html){kind=link}
a, squamous portion; b, petrous portion; c, c′, tympanic portion (c, entotympanic; c′, ectotympanic); d, zygomatic process; e, mastoid portion of the petrous; f, mandibular fossa; g, postmandibular process; h, tuberculum articulare; i, external auditory meatus; j, stylomastoid foramen; k, pit for tympanohyal bone; l, mastoid process; m, grooves bounding the jugular foramen; n, internal auditory meatus; o, appendicular fossa; p, hiatus facialis; q, styliform process of tympanic bulla.
The squamous portion (a) (squama temporalis) is thin and oval or has the form of an equilateral triangle with rounded angles, with a curved process, the zygomatic process (d), arising from its ventral border. Its outer surface ([Fig. 22]) is convex and smooth and gives origin to part of the temporal muscle. Its inner surface ([Fig. 23]) is concave and smooth except near the margins, where it is bevelled and rough. The roughened border is broader dorsad and caudad. The ventral margin of the bone is turned mediad at its cranial end so that the lateral face of the inverted portion looks ventrad. By this portion of its lateral face the squamous rests upon the tympanic bulla, and its edge articulates with the tentorium and the wing of the sphenoid. The remaining (caudal) portion of the ventral border overlies the mastoid portion (e) of the petrous. By the remainder of its border the bone articulates with the parietal dorsad and with the wing of the sphenoid craniad. The roughened portion of its inner surface overlies the margins of both these bones.