ADAMS: SKULL OF THE WOLF-EEL. 335 



19. Symplectic. 23. Palatine. 27. Dentary. 



20. Quadrate. 24. Maxilla. 28. Articulare. 



21. Mesopterygoid. 25. Premaxilla. 29. Angulare. 



22. Pterygoid. 26. Mandible. 30. Preopercular. 



SUPRAOCCIPITAL. (Plate XXVIII, fig. 4; plate XXX, figs. 16, 17, 18, 19.) 



The supraoccipital is wedged in between the parietals. It 

 is roughly a triangular inverted pyramid, with the base form- 

 ing the superior posterior part of the skull. The superior 

 angle of this bone is drawn out into a slight crest, fitting be- 

 tween the parietals. 



Posterior Face. (Plate XXX, fig. 16.) 



The base of the pyramid is triangular in outline and quite 

 deeply concave. The two lateral edges are drawn out thin and 

 fit against the inner face of the parietals. At the lower part of 

 the face there is a forficate process, which overlaps and ar- 

 ticulates with the epiotics. 



Ventral Face. (Plate XXX, fig. 19.) 



The ventral portion of the pyramid forms the posterior half 

 of the roof of the brain-cavity. This is narrowed down an- 

 teriorly, a thin tongue fitting in between the sphenotics. It is 

 straight antero-posteriorly, but the sides are drawn down at an 

 angle. A slight ridge extends along the bone longitudinally. 

 This face is double, a thin disc being raised upon it, attached 

 in the center, the edges free, forming a surface for the brain- 

 cavity. This surface is not smooth, but is marked by longi- 

 tudinal ridges, pits and cavities. (See plate XXX, fig. 19.) 



Lateral Face. (Plate XXX, fig. 17.) 



The lateral faces are triangular in outline. They are in two 

 planes, the posterior inclining outward and backward, the 

 other outward and downward. They articulate with the inner 

 face of the parietal. 



Articulations. 



The supraoccipital has four articulations : Its anterior edge 

 with the posterior edge of frontal, this edge fitting into a 

 groove on the posterior edge of frontal. Laterally it articulates 

 with the pterotics, the parietals and the inferior posterior 

 portion of the epiotics. 



