386 



Annals of the South African Museum. 



can most easily be referred to this species. The caudal region had 

 weathered off and was not obtained ; but the remainder of the 

 skeleton was found lying articulated with the exception of the head, 

 which was at a distance of about 3 feet from the front of the neck. 

 The specimen is one of the most complete known from the Stormberg 

 Beds and has thus been thought worthy of a fairly full description, 

 as it throws light upon the real position of these medium-sized forms. 

 The specimen is in the collection of the South African Museum - 

 Catalogue no. 5135. 



Skull. The skull was lying detached from the neck at a distance 

 of some 3 feet from it and was, unfortunately, shattered by a blow 

 from a pick before its presence was realised. It has been possible, 



Fig. 22. Massospondylus harriesi, Br. 



Restoration of a side view of skull (5135). 



(The teeth are omitted from this restoration). X . 



however, to reconstruct several portions of it from the fragments 

 collected. 



The basicranial region exhibits strong likenesses to that of Theco- 

 dontosaurus antiquus and is also fairly close to Sphenosuchus acufus. 

 The occipital condyle is rounded and intermediate in size between 

 tli at of Sphenosuchus and of Thecodontosaurus. It is formed almost 

 wholly of the basioccipital, the suture between that bone and the 

 exoccipital running as in Sphenosuchus. Anterior to the condyle the 

 bone thins and then expands rapidly, its lower surface at the same 

 time curving strongly downwards to form a long transverse basi- 

 occipital ridge. This ridge is not furnished with a median notch 

 like that of Sphenosuchus. Its upper surface forms the floor of the 

 brain-case for some considerable distance, the suture with the 

 exoccipital being plainly seen on each side. The anterior portion 

 of the bone is furnished with a median medullary ridge. 



