16 PROP. HTJXLET ON THE SPECIFIC AND GENERIC 



This excellent genus, as established by Dr. Gray, includes Cuvier's 

 Crocodilus cataphractus (wbich Dr. Gray considers to be the young 

 of a species whose full-grown form was discovered by Mr. Bennett 

 in West Africa), Crocodilus Journei and Crocodilus Schlegelii. 

 As I have endeavoured to show, however, C. Journei is a true 

 crocodile ; and, as I shall point out below, Miiller and Schlegel 

 have satisfactorily proved C. ScJilegelii to be a Gavial. Conse- 

 quently Mecistops is at present represented by only one species, 

 which must be called M. cataphracfm if M. Bennettii of Gray is 

 really the adult of the form which Cuvier described. 



III. In the family of the Gavialid^, the snout is always very 

 long and slender ; the teeth are for the most part slender, sharp- 

 edged, and subequal. The two anterior mandibular teeth pass into 

 grooves, one of which lies on each side of a beak-like prominence 

 of the premaxiUse, which carries the two anterior upper teeth. 

 The canines are received into grooves. The mandibular symphysis 

 extends back to at least the fourteenth tooth, and is partly formed 

 by the junction of the splenial bones. The premaxillo-maxillary 

 suture is always strongly convex backwards. The posterior nares 

 are situated more forward than in the Grocodili. The temporal 

 fossae are large. The feet are strongly webbed. The dorsal scutes 

 are not articulated ; and there are no ventral scutes. 



I distinguish two genera in this family, Bhynchosuchu^ and 

 Oavialis. 



Genus 6. Ehtnchosuohits. 



There are twenty teeth above, and eighteen or nineteen below, 

 on each side ; the mandibular symphysis extends to the fifteenth 

 tooth. The posterior teeth of the upper jaw, and almost all those 

 of the lower jaw, are received into interdental pits ; the orbital 

 margins are not raised ; and the premaxillse are hardly at all ex- 

 panded. The premaxillo-maxillary suture does not reach the third 

 tooth behind the notch. 



I propose the name Bhynchosuchus to indicate that generic type 

 which is at present represented by the solitary species called by 

 Miiller and Schlegel Crocodilus {Gavialis) ScMegelii, and ad- 

 mirably described and figured by them in their essay, ' Over de 

 Krokodilen van der Indischen Archipel,' in the ' Verhandelingen 

 over de natuurlijke Gesch. der Nederl. overzee. Bezittingen,' 

 1839-1844. Under the title Crocodilus (Gavialis) Schlegelii 

 (p. 18), they say — " The Gavial from Borneo, when compared with 



