460 Miscellaneous, 



this process is smooth, and is more or less overhung by the sculptured 

 horizontal surface of the postfrontal. In this respect the Teleosaur 

 manifests its more general or lacertian character. 



The prefrontals have a short, broad, facial plate, and appear to 

 have had a much shorter descending neurapophysial plate than in 

 modern Crocodiles ; their orbital border is not produced or raised, 

 as in the Gavial. 



The nasals are relatively broader behind than are those of true Cro- 

 codiles and Gavials, and resemble the latter in their non-extension to 

 the anterior nostril ; their proportion, as to length, much resembling, 

 in Teleosaurus latifrons^ that of the nasals in the Gavialis gangeticus. 

 They overlap a considerable extent of the bifurcated anterior end of 

 the frontal. 



The premaxillaries are shorter in proportion than in the Gavial ; 

 but, as in that animal, they wholly surround the external nostril, which 

 is terminal, and its plane nearly vertical, instead of being horizontal. 

 The end of the muzzle, so formed, is less expanded than in the Ga- 

 vial ; so that the Teleosaur must have been able to breathe by pro- 

 truding from the surface of the water a much less proportion of the 

 muzzle than the Gavial does ; but it must have raised the head more 

 obliquely in the act. 



The maxillary bones are of great length. They unite with each 

 other above, along a tract varying in length in different species, 

 between the premaxillaries and nasals ; they unite behind with a 

 great proportion of the nasals, with the lacrymal, and with the malar. 



The lacrymal extends much more forward than the prefrontal, 

 being continued, in a pointed form, in advance of the small vacuity, 

 or quasi-nostril, which is left between the nasal, the lacrymal and 

 maxillary. 



The malar, which begins below this vacuity, without entering into 

 its formation, has its narrow anterior part wedged between the lacry- 

 mal and the palatal process of the maxillary : it bounds the lower 

 part of the orbit, joins the broad descending process of the post- 

 frontal, and is continued, as a straight slender bar, to join, under- 

 lapping, the lower end of the squamosal, completing with this bone 

 the lower zygoma. Neither the lacrymal nor the malar develope 

 any outstanding plate where they form the orbit. 



The squamosal is a very small bifurcate bone : its back part unites 

 with the outer side of the tympanic condyle, whence the larger branch 

 extends obliquely upwards and forwards to the junction of the mas- 

 toid and prefrontal ; the lower and shorter branch extends directly 

 forwards, overlapping the hind end of the malar. 



The bony palate is imperforate where it is formed by the prem.ax- 

 illaries, maxillaries, and fore part of the palatines : these latter bones 

 are broader and flatter than in the Gavial : the vacuities between 

 them and the ectopterygoids are narrower in the Teleosaur : but the 

 most important modification of this part of the skull in comparison 

 with modern Crocodilia, is shown in the much larger relative size, 

 more advanced position, and more horizontal plane of the true inter- 

 nal or posterior nostril ; which is surrounded, not in every species 



