22 I.CLLKTIV :il. IMTHl) SI'ATKS VATIONAL MtfSKltM 



sullid.i.tlv NvHl P.VM..V.. I to:.ll..w,.IM positive .I.trnninalion. This is 

 ,1... ll,,I.Mn,rl,»s n-oiiii of Dullo.* It .Hilars IVo... any ..t the known 

 KemM;i..|-thoonh-riiihaviii-nv.".ii-its..:.iillth.-lr.'t. 



Tiic'iv is bill on., rxistin- family of I'lotei.l;., whirl, is dohnnl as lol- 

 lows : 



i>H()Ti;ii).K. 



No iiMMliMM stcniiil ('l.'MUMits. Vcit chrii' aini.hico'loiis. Carpus aii.l 

 tarsus (•artilaj:iiioMs. Iiiii.t wall <»f vcstil.iih- osseous. Nasalia waut- 

 iiij;. 'IVrlh oil all tlu" usual lioiics cNcept the uiaxillarit's, which aro 

 wanting'. Tlic s.roii.l c.'ratobrancliial is present, as in IJrodehi gen- 

 erally, ''stapes (lireclly eoi eted with the siispensoriuin. ^ 



Of this family hut two ;^euera are known. They are the followin;; : 



IMi'iiiMl l.niiichiM'; (limits 4-1; i-yrs exposed \r<liin,^. 



Kxt.TiKil l.iaiicliiM' ; (limits, ;!--^ ; cvi's hid.l.n. I'rohns. 



Of tliesi' Xecturus is Xi)rth Amerie.ia ami Proteus is ICuropMii. The 

 hitter is represented by three or foar spuiies, which live in subterr.inean 

 waters in the southern parts of Austria. 



These genera dilVer soaiewhat in the hyoid apparatus. The hypo- 

 hyal is present in NVeturns, but is, aecordin.i;- to Wiedersheiui, wantin;-' 

 in Proteus, in the fornuT the second cer.itobrani^hial is much smaller 

 than in the latter, and is not onnected with the b.isibranchials. 



The connections between the inferior arjlie-s and the skull iU'o inter- 

 esting. In Necturus the columella is osseous and is bent abruptly for- 

 wards, and articulates with a short p )sterior process of tiie sifiiauiosal 

 bone. The ceratohyal is free fr.)m the skull, luit is cDuni'ded with it 

 by tlie two ligaments, the hyosusi)enso/ial to the middle of the (]uudral»», 

 and the niandibuhdiyoid, to the angle of the I'.andible. (IMale IS, fig. 

 1.) la Proteus (Pig. 2) the arr,iii.,'einiMit is similar, cixcepr that the 

 processes of the stapes and s(iiiamasil do not meet, bat are connected 

 by a strong ligament. 



The intermedium of the carpus and of the tarsus is eonlluent with 

 the adjacent external element, tlu^ uluare and the libulare. Tliere are 

 three carpalia and three tirsalia, the internal on the inner side !" the 

 carpus and tarsus. Tlie carpus and tarsus are thus very nuieh alike. 

 (Plate45, fig. 2.) 



The procoracoid cartilages are distinguished fro'u the coracoids, but 

 are continuous at the point of junction with them. Tiiey ar.', uuwM 

 jiroduced forwards in Necturus. The coracoids nu'et on the middle line. 

 No sternum. Tiie ilium is the only ossified i»art of the pelvis. It is(!on- 

 uectod with the single sacral vertebra l)y a true rib, which is rather laiger 

 than the others. The inferior eleaients of the pelvis are continuous car- 

 tilage. Til Necturus the ischiadic portion is siibiiuadr.ite, wliile tlu! 

 public portion forms a triangle, well produced forwards to an acute- 

 angled apex. Femur with a trochanter in Necturus, 



* HulU'tin dii Miisce Jk'oyiil du lU'if^iiine, l.-'<), p. K'>, 



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