MORPHOLOGICAL REVISION OF THE SUBORDER. 79 



Genus VARANOSAURUS Broili (seep. 20). 

 Varaiiosainus aculiros/ris }iro\\\. ( Paleontographica, Bd. Li, plates 10-12. This volume, plate 2.) 



The descriptiou here given is a translation and condensation of the 

 original description by Broili of the single known specimen. 



The form of the skull is an elongate triangle. The facial region is slender and 

 the edge of the skull roof is carried out over the side of the face anterior to orbits in 

 a sort of shelf Posterior to the orbits the parietal and superoccipital bend sharply 

 downward, fonning an abrupt termination to the skull ; the parietals extend back- 

 ward somewhat in the median line and the posterior angles of the skull are rather 

 prominent, so that the region has a W-like profile. 



The orbits are large and nearly circular. They lie in the posterior half of the 

 skull. The anterior nares lie near the anterior end of the snout and look directly 

 outwards. The parietal foramen is of good size and lies about opposite the posterior 

 end of the orbits. 



The skull is marked by an obscure sculpture, on some bones, of fine punctae, 

 grooves, and ridges. 



The premaxillaries send prominent processes backwards to unite with the nasals. 

 The prefrontals and lachrj'mals form a prominent ridge on the side of the face from 

 the upper anterior angle of the orbit. 



The temporal region is unfortunately incomplete, the posterior and lower por- 

 tion being broken away. It shows the presence of one large opening separated by a 

 slender bridge from the orbit. 



On the lower side of the skull the basisphenoid develops two strong lateral 

 processes which extend forward inclosing a triangular space. These processes pass 

 anteriorly into the pterygoids. 



The inner branches of the pterygoids inclose a vacuity and are expanded into 

 thin plates; they are covered by a patch of small teeth. The outer processes are 

 slender and pressed down on the basisphenoid, somewhat out of their natural position. 



The columella (epipter^-goid) is perfectly preserved on one side and occupies the 

 usual position between pterygoid and parietal. 



The dentition is very characteristic. There are fifty-four counted teeth in the 

 upper jaw, of which there are nine in the premaxillary, the anterior four being in the 

 position of incisors in the overhanging snout. The teeth are small, sharply conical in 

 form, of nearly equal diameter and large pulp cavity. In the first fourth of the max- 

 illary series are two teeth notably larger than the others, the posterior is the larger. 

 Between the large maxillary teeth and the large incisors the teeth are smaller. 



The dentition of the lower jaw is unknown. 



Vertebrce : There are thirty-six vertebne preserved, of which twelve are con- 

 nected with the skull in direct series, three separate groups of three, six, and five, 

 with the two sacrals and eight caudals. 



The atlas is unfortunately not made out. 



The axis has an enlarged neural spine and a strong diapophysis directed back- 

 wards and outwards. The intercentrum between axis and atlas is described as absent. 



The remaining vertebrce are smooth with concave sides and, especially in the 

 caudal region, have well-developed keels on the inner side of the centrum. They are 

 deeply amphicoelous (notochordal). 



The neural arches are slender from side to side and have relatively large anterior 

 and posterior zygapophyses with horizontal articular faces. The neural spines are 



