256 On the Quadrate Bone of a Gigantic Pterodactyl. 



upper portion may have been hollow, but there is no pneumatic 

 foramen such as often occurs on the hinder face of this 

 element. Both faces are flattened, but the anterior one is 

 slightly concave from side to side above, and the posterior 

 one (fig. A) is remarkable for its relatively great width in the 

 upper part. The facette for the pterygoid lamina extends 

 downwards almost as far as the inner articular condyle and 

 is obscured by adherent matrix ; but its boundaries are clear, 



I bJ 



^-i^^ 



Right quadrate bone of a Pterodactyl, natural size, from the posterior (A) 

 and articular (B) aspects, and in transverse section (0). Cretaceous, 

 Plataforma, Bahia, Brazil. [Mawson Collection, British Museum.] 



and the transverse fracture shows that it was coarsely rugose 

 and ridged as in the previous small specimen from Brazil. 

 The articular end of the bone (fig. B) exhibits the usual lack 

 of bilateral symmetry. The condyles are a little abraded, 

 though apparently not much damaged, and are particularly 

 remarkable both for their inequality in size and their tumid 



