CROCODILIANS, LIZARDS, AND SNAKES. 493 



Hue. The nasals are elongate and distinct from each other. The frontal 

 is narrow and double; its inferior lateral plates converge below, but 

 are separated by a wide fissure. The i^arietal is rather elongate, and 

 the pineal foramen is near its middle. The parieto-quadrate arches are 

 horizontal, but well elevated above the occipital. The supraoccipital 

 is so loosely articulated as not to touch the parietal, and it is separated 

 by suture from the exoccipitals. The prefrontal is rather small and is 

 not protuberant; it is not produced on the superior orbital border. 

 The facial plate of the maxillary is large, and forms most of the lateral 

 boundary of the nasals. The lachrymal is small and is barely reached 

 by the narrow jugals. Postfrontal distinct, triradiate, the inferior 

 limb shortest, the superior in contact equally, one with the frontal and 

 one with the parietal. Infratemporal splint-like, very little in contact 

 withjugal, separated by a narrow, slit from parietal, and entering for 

 a considerable distance into the parieto-quadrate arch. Paroccipital 

 exhibiting a narrow wedge from behind. Quadrate a deeply excavated 

 external conch and a trace of the internal. Vomers elongate, each 

 traversed by an elevated median keel; posterior ends separated by a 

 deep notch, continuous with the rather narrow space which separates 

 the palatines and the anterior part of the pterygoid. Narial fissure 

 narrow, a portion cut off anteriorly as a small foramen by a lateral 

 expansion of the vomer. A rather large foramen between maxillary 

 and premaxillary. Maxillary process of palatine a little longer than 

 vomerine process. Palatine foramen large; palatine bones rather nar- 

 row. Pterygoids rather narrow, the contraction of the external border 

 gradual. Ectopterygoid not decurved proximally. Sphenoid and 

 basioccipital coossified ; lateral processes of latter compressed, concave 

 posteriorly. Occipital condyle small, its tripartite composition faintly 

 indicated. Epipterygoid arising just in front of basipterygoid, not 

 reaching i^arietal, but resting on supraforaminal part of petrosal, which 

 is longer than the infraforaminal jirocess. Tlie latter possesses a shal- 

 low canal, which is presented externally behind. 



In the mandible Meckel's cartilage is concealed, except distally on 

 the inferior face of the ramus. The external face of the coronoid is 

 produced anteriorly only, and the dentary is produ(!ed posteriorly very 

 little behind the line of its anterior angle. Angular mostly external; 

 splenial elongate; articular and surangular fused on the external face 

 of the ramus. The angle is horizontal, short, and rounded. 



The hyoid apparatus is characterized by the absence of second cera- 

 tobranchials and free epibranchials. The first ceratobranchials are 

 rather short. The hypobranchials are rather long, and the ceratohyals 

 project a little beyond their extremity. The middle of the length of 

 the ceratohyals is membranous. 



Scapular arch. — All the elements present, but more or less rudimental. 

 Clavicles well developed, simple, and nearly meeting distally. Scapula 

 cartilaginous, coracoid osseous, with a large cartilage which is pvo- 



