On a Ncio Reptile (Proterosuchus fergusi). 161 



inner border of the posterior part of the internal nasal opening. A 

 long, slender process is also sent backwards. This rests on the 

 pterygoid, and when the palate is viewed from below the pterygoid 

 almost completely hides the posterior process of the palatine. The 

 palatine thus appears in fig. 3 as much smaller than it really is. 

 There is no evidence of any teeth on the palatines. 



The pterygoids are unusually large, and form by far the greater 

 part of the palate. Each may be described as consisting of three 

 parts : a long, broad anterior part which meets the prevomers and 

 articulates laterally with the palatines, a broad, well-developed trans- 

 verse process which meets the transpalatine, and there has doubtless 

 been a posterior process which met the quadrate. The pterygoids 

 are remarkable for the fact that they do not meet each other in the 

 middle line. Along the inner border of each is a row of small teeth 

 followed by a number of other rows of smaller teeth. Along the line 

 which may be considered to divide the anterior from the lateral pro- 

 cess are also two or three rows of small teeth, while the posterior 

 border of the lateral process is armed by a number of moderate-sized 

 teeth. The anterior part of each pterygoid is strengthened by a 

 longitudinal vertical plate (see fig. 4). 



The transpalatine or ectopterygoid is a moderate-sized element. 

 It is not very well preserved, but is probably as restored in tig. 3. 

 It to a considerable extent lies behind the lateral process of the 

 pterygoid. Between it, the pterygoid, the palatine, and the maxilla, 

 is a large suborbital vacuity. 



A transverse section near the middle of the palate is shown in 

 fig. 4. The most noteworthy feature is the presence of a true median 

 vomer (the " parasphenoid " of most authors). In transverse section 

 it closely resembles the mammahan vomer, and has evidently sup- 

 ported a median cartilaginous septum. 



The lower jaws are badly preserved, yet it is possible from the 

 remains to gain a fairly good idea of their structure. There are only 

 one or two slight fragments of the dentaries remaining — the largest 

 fragment being seen in fig. 1. Behind the dentary there has evi- 

 dently been a very large surangular, but little more than the impres- 

 sion remains on either side. This large surangular has apparently 

 formed almost the whole of the outer surface for the posterior half 

 of the jaw. It has articulated with the coronoid above, with the 

 splenial below, and with the angular a little to the inside of the 

 lower border. Thei^e has evidently been no large fenestra in the jaw. 

 The coronoid is well developed. Internally it articulates with the 

 angular and with the splenial. The angular is fairly well preserved 



