174 Prof. n. G. Seeley o« ^/^e 



In general plan the palate closely resembles that of the 

 short-faced Dicynodonts. Its distir.ctive features consist in 

 the development of a strong descending median ossification, 

 which is a little behind the tusks and in advance of the 

 palato-nares. It corresponds in position with the vomer 

 and forms a compressed prominence, which is nearly 2 inclies 

 long and is prolonged backward as the narrow median ridge 

 which divides the palato-nares. This ridge may be paralleled 

 in many Dicynodonts and has been figured by Sir Richard 

 Owen in the species of Dicynodon named D. pardiceps, 

 D. testudiceps, and others. Another remarkable feature is 

 the evidence that the bone internal to the maxillary and 

 pterygoid and behind the vomer, which I regard as tlie pala- 

 tine, develops a strong tubercle, flanking and defending the 

 outer anterior corners of the ])alato-nares. Tlie sutures are 

 not show n which define the palatine from the pterygoid, but 

 there is no reason to question the identification of these 

 eminences as palatine tubercles. There appears to be a 

 slight approximation to a similar condition in the palate of 

 Dicynodon imrdiceps. In view of the fact that the vomerine 

 and palatine bones in Fardasaurvs and other allied reptiles 

 bear teeth upon elevated ridges upon those bones, I was led 

 to infer that, since they are on the same level, they might 

 have a similar function. On the highest part of the vomer 

 there are small teeth which are flat and rounded in front, 

 though few are preserved. T])ey are similar to the teeth 

 figured in the South-African Cynodont j^Ehirosaurus felinus. 

 On the hinder border of the vomer and palatine there are 

 minute pointed teeth, recognized by their black enamel. I 

 have not observed such strong palatine tubercles in any other 

 fossil, nor are there evidences of teeth on the palate in the 

 present condition of any Dicynodont skull in the British 

 Museum. 



The anterior terminations of the pterygoid bones external 

 to the palatine tubercles are compressed from side to side and 

 well separated from the maxillary bones in front of them 

 by a vertical suture. The middle of their most convex ante- 

 rior part, which makes tlie outward limit of the palatal border, 

 is rough with short irregular sinuous wrinkles, as though 

 pterygoid muscles had extended from them to the lower jaw. 



The jialato-nares are distorted ; they were apparently 

 almond-shaped, about 1;^ inch long, narrower in front than 

 behind, and parted posteriorly by a median excavation like 

 that seen in Dicynodon pardiceps, D. Copei, and other 

 forms. 



The transverse measurement over the anterior termina- 



