the Head in Oi'tiithosaurs. 31 



nasal bone hangs down a triangular bone (2), which recalls to 

 mind in a lively way the lachrymal bone in birds. But 

 as there is a very strong process (19) of the jugal bone rising 

 up towards it, the eye-hole may perhaps have been thus closed 

 in front. The skull then would have had three holes, as was 

 first so excellently demonstrated by Goldfuss : — the nostrils, 

 supposed to be isolated in the anterior end ; the middle, elon- 

 gated, triangular hole ; and the cavern of the eye. This latter 

 is well defended on the hinder side by an elevated ridge of the 

 frontal bone. I could not find the sclerotic circle of the eye 

 in it ; but several bones, which I have exposed as much as 

 possible, are lying scattered in the eye-hole, as follows : the 

 slender bone at the top (6), which is prolonged under the 

 lachrymal bone, may be the sphenoid ; the two triangular 

 bones (25) are the pterygoids ; in front of them lies a similar 

 bone with three concavities (22), which from its position is to 

 be regarded as the palatine bone. A sure foundation is found 

 in the uncommonly strong quadrate bones (26) ; the left one is 

 still in its natural position, but the right one lies in the hollow 

 of the eye, with its articular surface facing the process of the 

 jugal bone. The head measures only 4 inches from the arti- 

 cular surface of the left quacbate to the extremity of the beak ; 

 and one is therefore led to suppose that the lower jaw must 

 have projected somewhat more than the upper jaw. The 

 occiput, however, extends backward in a remarkable median 

 crest, which has not previously been figm'ed in any species : 

 it might easily be overlooked, from its thinness ; but its exist- 

 ence cannot be doubted. Including it, the whole length of the 

 head amounts to 5 inches 10 lines. Above it lies a fractured 

 bone, which can only be interpreted as the parietal bone. As 

 the head has also suffered somewhat from the twist already 

 mentioned, one is also able to see at the upper margin frac- 

 tured pieces from the right side. At first I thought of ex- 

 posing these also, but now think it more prudent to leave them 

 alone for the present." 



I have reproduced this passage because the specimen to 

 which it relates shows the bones of the palate better than any 

 other species, and not because Prof. Quenstedt's interpretation 

 seems to me accurate. The numbers upon the bones in the 

 figure are those used by Cuvier ; but I would suggest the fol- 

 lowing modified interpretation, as in accord with the fuller 

 knowledge gained since the monograph was written. If the 

 small anterior depressions are correctly identified as nares, 

 about which I entertain no doubt, then the bone marked 3 

 is evidently the nasal. This identification is probable, because 

 the teeth are limited to the extremity of the snout, and entirely 



