HYLA. 255 



form and the var. meridional is .* We have here to 

 deal with a similar case as offered by liana esculenta, 

 and I have adopted the same course, viz. reduced the 

 various forms to the rank of varieties. 



Skeleton. — Skull feebly ossified. A very large 

 fontanelle above, bordered on the sides by the narrow 

 fronto-parietal bones; ethmoid short, its upper lamina 

 obtusely pointed or rounded in front and penetrating 

 between the nasals, which are small and separated from 

 each other. Squamosal feeble, with short zygomatic 

 branch. Vomers small, separated or narrowly in 

 contact on the median line ; palatines well developed ; 

 pterygoid small, the three branches about equal in 

 length, and widely separated from the palatine; para- 

 sphenoid X-shaped, pointed in front, reaching to be- 

 tween the palatines. Mento-Meckelian bones distinct. 



Hyoid a short cartilaginous plate, much broader 

 than long, with moderately slender cornua and no 

 anterior processes, very short postero-lateral processes, 

 and long, slender bony styles (thyrohyals) posteriorly. 



Vertebral column twice to twice and one-third as 

 long as the skull. First diapophysis slender and hori- 

 zontal or directed slightly forwards ; second much 

 longer and expanded at the end, somewhat similar in 

 shape to the sacral diapophysis; third to eighth slender 

 and subequal in length ; the third and fourth directed 

 backwards, the fifth horizontal, the sixth and seventh 

 directed forwards. Sacral vertebra with moderately 

 dilated diapophyses, and two condyles for articulation 

 with urostyle. Latter a little shorter than the rest of 

 the vertebral column, without transverse processes at 

 the base. 



Praecoracoids slender, strongly curved, entering the 

 glenoid cavity; coracoids nearly straight, dilated 

 towards the epicoracoid ; omosternum and sternum car- 

 tilaginous; supra-scapula partially ossified. Humerus 



* I have specimens of the latter from Tangier which show a slight 

 but distinct indication of the lateral streak, and are thus intermediate 

 between H. meridionalis and H. savignyi. 



