72 The Alligator and Its Allies 



five foramina, four of which were described in 

 connection with the lateral view. Some distance 

 laterad and somewhat dorsad to the pair already 

 described is the fifth and largest foramen (VII) ; 

 it really lies between the exoccipital and quadrate, 

 but the former bone forms almost its entire bound- 

 ary; through it, according to Reynolds, pass the 

 seventh nerve and certain blood-vessels. 



The basioccipital (14) which, as has been said, 

 forms a small part of the ventral wall of the foramen 

 magnum, consists of a heavy dorsal portion, the ven- 

 trally curved condyle, and of a broader, irregular 

 ventral portion, between which and the basisphe- 

 noid is the single opening of the Eustachian canals 

 (eu). Dorsally and laterally the basioccipital artic- 

 ulates with the exoccipitals ; ventrally, laterally, 

 and anteriorly with the basisphenoid which was 

 described in the lateral view. 



The Sagittal Section (Fig. 23). The only bones 

 shown in this figure (besides those of the mandible, 

 to be described later) that have not already been 

 described are the vomers and those of the auditory 

 capsules. 



The vomers (15) are delicate bones articulating 

 with the maxillae, the palatines, the pterygoids, and 

 with each other. They form a part of the septum 

 and roof of the nasal passage. 



The mesethmoid is not ossified. 



Reynolds describes the bones of the auditory 

 capsules as follows: 



