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6. On a New Species of Scymnognathus (S. tigriceps). By 

 R. BROOM, M.D., D.Sc., and S. H. HAUGHTON, B.A. 



THE magnificent specimen which forms the type of this new species 

 was discovered about 3 miles WSW. of the homestead on the farm 

 Dunedin, Beaufort West. It consists of the nearly perfect skull, a 

 number of cervical vertebrae, the almost complete left fore-limb with 

 the shoulder girdle and mterclavicle. The discovery is one of much 

 importance, as though hitherto we have known a good deal of 

 the Carnivorous Therapsida of the Pareiasaurus and Endothiodon 

 zones, and even more of the carnivorous types of the Upper Beau- 

 fort zones, we have known almost nothing of the carnivorous forms 

 of the Middle Beaufort zones. Many types have been described by 

 Owen, but they are nearly all imperfect snouts which give little 

 evidence of their affinities. And for long we have been anxious to 

 know whether carnivores of the Cistecephalus and Lystrosaurus 

 zones were Therocephalians or primitive Cynodonts, or something 

 distinct from either. The evidence we now have shows that 

 they were neither typical Therocephalians nor Cynodonts, but 

 Gorgonopsians. 



When Gorgonops was first described by Owen in 1876 it was 

 believed to be distinct from the other forms with mammal-like 

 dentition, partly owing to an apparent peculiarity of the nose, and 

 partly because the temporal region was believed to be roofed. Owen 

 formed for it a special group the Tectinarialia. Seeley and 

 Lydekker have both agreed as to the roofing of the temporal 

 region, and Seeley in 1895 made it the type of a distinct order 

 the Gorgonopsia. Three years ago it was shown by one of us 

 (Broom) that a careful examination of the British Museum type 

 shows that undoubtedly there is quite a large temporal opening^ 

 though the parietal region is broad. Still, Goryonops one has always 

 felt differed considerably from the typical Therocephalians. For a 

 time it was suggested that it perhaps came nearer the Dinocepha- 

 lians ; latterly it has been placed with the Therocephalians for con- 

 venience. Now it seems more convenient to revive Seeley's order 



