iS6 THE SKULL. [CHAP. 



In front of the cerebral cavity, the great tubular nasal 

 cavities are provided with well-developed turbinal bones, and 

 are roofed over by very large nasals, broad behind, and ending 

 in front in a narrow decurved point. The opening of the 

 anterior nares is prolonged backwards on each side of the 

 face between the nasals and the elongated slender premaxillo3. 

 The latter expand in front, and are curved downwards to form 

 the semicircular alveolar border which supports the large 

 incisor teeth. 



The orbit is rather small in proportion to the size of the 

 whole skull, but very distinctly marked, being completely 

 surrounded by a strong ring of bone with prominent edges. 

 The lacrymal occupies a considerable space on the flat 

 surface of the cheek in front of the orbit, and below it the 

 malar does the same. The latter sends a hori/ontal or 

 slightly ascending process backwards below the orbit, to 

 join the under surface of the /.ygomatic process of the 

 squamosal, which is remarkably large, and instead of ending 

 as usual, behind the orbit, runs forwards to join the greatly 

 developed postorbital process of the frontal, and even forms 

 part of the posterior and inferior boundary of the orbit a 

 very exceptional arrangement (see Fig. 60). 



The palate is very narrow in the interval between the 

 incisor and molar teeth, in which are situated the large 

 anterior palatine foramina. .Between the molar teeth it is 

 broader, but it does not extend further back than the pen- 

 ultimate molar and ends in a rounded excavated border. It 

 is mainly formed by the maxillai, as the palatines are very 

 narrow. The pterygoids are delicate slender slips of bone 

 attached to the hinder border of the palatines, and supported 

 externally by, and generally ankylosed to, the rough pterygoid 

 plates of the alisphenoid, with no pterygoid fossa between. 

 They slope very obliquely forwards, and end in curved, 



