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15.-- Investigations in South African Fossil Reptiles and Amphibia 

 (Part 11). By S. H. HAUGHTON, B.A., F.G.S., Assistant 

 Director. 



11. Some New Carnivorous Therapsida, with Notes upon 

 the Brain-Case in Certain Species. 



THERAPSIDA. 



MACROSCELESAURUS JANSENI, n.g. et n.sp. 



During the year 1917 the Museum became possessed, through 

 the generosity of Mr. F. J. Jansen, formerly Resident Magistrate 

 of Victoria West, of a slab of sandstone showing the impression 

 of the almost complete skeleton of a small reptile. The slab was 

 found built into the wall of a kraal at Gemsbokfontein, 12 miles 

 from the town of Victoria West, and there is no reason to suppose 

 that it had been brought from any place other than the nearest 

 sandstone ridge on the farm Gemsbokfontein. The known fossils 

 from the Victoria West District are few in number, and seem to 

 consist in the main of types not hitherto known from other parts 

 of the Karroo Beds, and this fossil therefore is of some interest. 



Unfortunately, all the bone substance is weathered away, and 

 the mould in the sandstone which remains is not very clear-cut ; 

 and, in addition, the majority of the skull is altogether missing. 

 What is seen is a mould of the ventral side of the skeleton. The 

 backbone is curved ; both fore-limbs are thrown to the right 

 hand side and are bent ; and the hind limbs are flexed at the 

 knee, the femora lying thrown forward. 



Of the skull but little remains. The head was obviously tri- 



j 



angular and sharply pointed in front. The teeth were small and 

 differentiated. There are remains of a canine and 8 molars in 

 the maxilla, the canine being preceded by small incisors, of which 

 the last, at least, remains. The canine is a larger tooth than 

 the others, and is set outside the line of the molars, so that the 

 skull must have had a considerable swelling at the level of the 



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