PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 
I. On the Structure and Development of the Skull in the Mammalia.— 
Part Il. Edentata. 
By WituiamM Kircoen Parker, F.R.S. 
Received May 26,—Read June 19, 1884. 
[Piares 1-15.] 
INTRODUCTION. 
SINCE my first attempt to work out the Mammalian type of skull, the greater part of 
my time has been spent upon Cold-blooded Vertebrata--Fishes, Amphibia, and 
Reptiles. But between the early part of 1873, when my paper on the skull of the 
Pig was presented to the Royal Society, to the beginning of 1882, when I was able 
to take up this Class once more, no time or chance was lost as far as materials 
for work go; during those nine years a very large collection of embryos and of 
early young of the various types of Mammalia was made. 
This collection of materials is still going on, and will I trust go on for years to 
come. No work lies before me of greater importance; and if the skull, in the Orders of 
this, the highest Class, can thus be illustrated, it will give some roundness and shape 
to the efforts and labour of the whole life of a never-weary worker. 
T am very grateful to the friends that have so kindly and zealously helped me by 
presents of specimens ; in this present piece of work I have had the greater part 
of my materials from the following well-known Biologists ; viz., Professor W. H. 
FLowenr, F.R.S., Dr. GUNTHER, F.R.S., Professor St. GzeorcE Mivart, F.R.S., Dr. P. L. 
MDCCCLXXXV. B 
