Neio South African Fossil Amphibians and Bcptiles. 273 



though a Cynodont, belongs to a more primitive family than any 

 hitherto known. 



The snout is, like that of typical Cynoclonts, slightly narrowed 

 behind the canines. The nasals are long and broaden out behind, 

 as in Gomphognathus, In front they pass further forward, so that 

 the nostrils look forwards and slightly outwards, so that, except for 

 their being divided by an internasal septum, they are very mammal- 

 like in appearance. 



The orbits are relatively large, measuring 30 mm. by 24 mm., and 

 the interorbital measurement is 26 mm. Each frontal bone is 

 concave, so that there is a low median ridge and a ridge above each 

 orbit. The frontal only forms a very small part of the orbit, the 

 greater part of the upper margin being formed by the prefrontal. 

 There is no postf rental, but the postorbital is well developed. It 

 forms the whole of the back of the orbit, but does not extend as far 

 as the jugal. Posteriorly it only passes back on the parietal for a 

 short distance. There is no trace of a pineal foramen. The parietals 

 are anchylosed, and form a thick triangular roof to the brain cavity. 

 On passing backwards they spread out and form the inner half of the 

 posterior wall of the temporal fossa. 



The squamosal is much smaller than in the typical Cynodonts. 

 It is developed in four directions. The inner limb articulates with 

 the parietal, and a second large flat process lies in front of the 

 exoccipital. The third process descends to support the small 

 quadrate, and the anterior process, which is short and slender, 

 articulates with the jugal. The quadrate is probably similar to that 

 in the other Cynodonts. It lies to the inside of the lower process of 

 the squamosal, and apparently forms the whole of the articulation 

 for the articular. To the inner side of the quadrate lies the 

 tympanic bone, as in the Anomodonts and Cynodonts. It is an 

 elongated rod, constricted in the middle and considerably dilated at 

 both ends. 



The jugal is slender, but extends far back. It has no ascending 

 process. The lachrymal appears to be much smaller than the 

 prefrontal. 



The rnaxillaries are approximated, so that the distance between 

 the alveolar margins is considerably less than between the outer 

 margins of the nasals. There is a moderate-size round canine with 

 no trace of serrations so far as preserved. Behind it are 10 some- 

 what conical teeth. They are somewhat flattened antero-posteriorly, 

 so that they have oval sections, but there appear to be no trace of 

 cusps or serrations. The space occupied by the 10 teeth is 31 mm. 



