(123) 



II. — On an almost licrfect skeleton of Pareiasaurus serridens Oioen. 

 —By E." Bkoom, M.D., B.Sc, C.M.Z.S. 



(Plates XV., XVI.) 



Me. a.. W. Rogers and Mr. B. H. L. Schwarz, of the Geological 

 Commission of Cape Colony, have been fortunate in obtaining on 

 the farm of Hoogeveld, Lot A, near Knoflock's Fontein, Van der 

 Byl's Kraal, in the Goiiph, an almost perfect skeleton of Pareiasaurus 

 serridens. The skeleton was to a large extent exposed, and had 

 been known for years to some of the neighbouring farmers, and one 

 or two of the bones are known to have been removed. All the 

 portions of the skeleton that could be discovered were carefully 

 gathered and packed ; and while on a short holiday to Cape 

 Town recently I was requested by Mr. Eogers to examine the 

 remains. 



When all the fragments had been arranged, cleared of matrix, and 

 joined together, it was found that we had an almost perfect skeleton 

 of a Pareiasaurus. The skull is almost complete, having only lost 

 the internasal process of the premaxillary, some fragments of the 

 palate, and a few small bits chipped off from the cranial bones. 

 Unfortunately it is much distoi'ted. In the frontal, parietal, and post- 

 parietal regions the distortion is slight, but the snout is very badly 

 twisted to the left. Both mandibles are in position and closed on 

 the upper jaw. The right lower jaw is fairly straight, but the left 

 has its anterior fifth bent right back, so as to have its anterior part 

 almost in a line with the right jaw. The right temporal region 

 is much flattened out, while the left is pushed in above, and bent 

 out again below, and twisted well forwards. The palate is fairly 

 complete, but is crushed in towards the right side. The left half of 

 the prevomer and the greater part of the pterygoid and ectopterygoid 

 are well shown — the ectopterygoid showing some very well- 

 preserved teeth. A portion of the right hyoid arch is seen. 



The vertebrae are all present from the atlas to the 28th inclusive. 

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