292 FISHES. 



with these two apophysis ;* the latter are at all events most certainly 

 peculiar to fishes, nor can we perceive where it would be possible to 

 discover any thing analogous in other classes, we shall call them 

 supertemporals. 



Palatine Arch, or Palato Pterygoid, and Temporal System] 



This system is composed of seven pieces on each side. It compre- 

 hends clearly the palatine in front, (No. 22), the temporal behind 

 (No. 23), but as to the rest, its composition cannot be well explained, 

 without including in it, the pterygoi&lean, the transverse of reptiles, and 

 and the jugal; but it is very difficult to apply these names, even sup- 

 posing that their application can be made with any degree of veri- 

 similitude. 



As far as the palatine (No. 22) is concerned, these difficulties do 

 not exist, for it is situated as it is in serpents, and is even frequently 

 furnished with teeth. 



There are two bones behind the palatine, one of which, (No. 24), 

 narrow and arched, forms the external border ; the other large, fiat, 

 and thin, forms the middle and internal part of this portion of the ap- 

 paratus. It is natural to think that these are the analagous bones, the 

 former (No. 24), to that which I have called the transverse in those 

 reptiles, and the latter (No. 25), to the internal pterygoidean ; the 

 situation of the latter, (No. 25), seems to indicate its name ; the for- 

 mer, (No, 24), also is situated much in the same manner as the trans- 

 verse ; but it is not articulated with the maxillary, this bone being 

 freer in its movements, than that of lizards, and it is attached in a 

 different direction to the jugal, (No. 26), because this bone is situated 

 much farther back. J 



For reasons which shall be deduced by and bye, I take for the 

 jugal a large and usually triangular bone, (No. 26), situated behind 

 this transverse, and furnishing by means of a gynglimoid facet of its 

 inferior angle, the articulation to the lower jaw. 



* M. Bakker who seems to me to be the only anatomist who lias distinguished 

 these small bones, calls them super temporals. We adopt this name. 



f In the IX Volume of the Memoirs of the Museum, page 6, M. Geoffroy gives 

 drawings of the palato temporales laminne of the Codfish, and the Merrse,but without 

 explanation, At a later period, in 1S24, and 1S25) he gave another which is nearly 

 the same as mine, except that he makes of my jugal and tympanal, his hypocotyleal, 

 and epycotyleal ; he regards them, therefore, as dismemberments of one bone of the 

 case, which bone he considers to be distinct from the three pieces, which, according 

 to M. Serres, compose the circle of the tympanum ; of my temporal and preoper- 

 cula, he makes his serrial and his tympanal ; which means that they represent two 

 parts of the frame of the tympanum ; lastly, he calls the seventh bone, the uro-serrial, 

 by which he means to compare it with the slender piece, which according to M. Ser- 

 res forms a third piece for the circle of the tympanum. 



J M. M. Bakker and Meckel come to the same conclusion as I do on these bones : 

 M. Geoffroy also agrees with us ; M. Bojanus regards them as separated members of 

 the palatine ; M. Cams seems to entertain the same idea ; M. Spix names my ptery- 

 goid the palatine ; and he also considers the transverse and the palantine as forming 

 together the pterygoidean. 



