ADAMS: SKULL OF THE WOLF-EEL. 333 



armed with large canine-like teeth, conical in shape; farther 

 back, on the vomer and palatines, are the large, rough molars 

 or grinding teeth. The posterior part of the mandible is also 

 armed with large teeth. 



The length of the skull is very little greater than the depth ; 

 the width is slightly less than the length. 



The skull is laterally compressed and very thin on the pos- 

 terior part of the dorsal edge. Both the frontal and the para- 

 sphenoid are drawn out into knife-like edges on the posterior 

 part of the dorsal and ventral portion of the bones. The follow- 

 ing bones are noted from this view : 



The occipital region of the skull is very interesting in its 

 structure, and has a peculiar arrangement of the bones, a 

 great deal like some of the fossil forms of the Cretaceous. This 

 may be seen in plate XXVIII, figure 4. The supraoccipital is 

 placed in between the parietals, and the epiotics are immedi- 

 ately below it, forming a part of the foramen magnum. Ven- 

 tral to the epiotics are the exoccipitals, the opisthotics extend- 

 ing posteriorly from them. 



Teeth. 



The teeth are remarkable for fish teeth, and are the most 

 striking thing noticed in this fish. They are of two kinds, 

 the canine-shaped and the heavy molar type. The conical 

 teeth are long and pointed and the grinders are rough and very 

 heavy. 



Teeth are found on the following bones: Premaxillse, 

 vomers, palatines and dentaries ; the maxillae bearing no teeth. 

 The number of teeth is not constant and varies greatly in 

 different specimens. In three specimens they occur as follows: 

 Premaxilla, 8-9; vomer, 9-10; palatine, 5-7; dentary, 11-16; 

 the total number in these three skulls being 66-86. The largest 

 teeth are on the vomer. They are rounded and very heavy 

 and furnish much of the grinding surface. 



The palatines are found on each side of the vomer and are 

 well supplied with teeth. The teeth on the mandibles are so 

 placed that they work against those of the palatines and vomer, 

 the mandible being inclined inward. Most of the teeth on the 



