GO 



MR. ST. GEORGE MIVART ON HEMTCENTETES. [Jail. 17, 



Fig. 2. 



Upper view of skull, twice the size of nature. 



There is no ridge or other process at the front of the orbit. As 

 has been said, there is no sagittal crest, but a tolerably developed 

 lambdoidal one which extends across from one glenoid surface to the 

 other. The temporal fossa is much smaller than in Centetes ; and 

 the concavity which exists in the last-named genus, above and in 

 front of the first upper premolar, is wanting in Hemicentetes. There 

 is no marked concavity above the anterior opening of the infra- 

 orbital canal, or in the summit of the cranium between the orbits. 

 The palate is very long and narrow, but of less equal width than in 

 Centetes, expanding laterally to a greater degree from before back- 

 wards. Its posterior margin is not at all or only very slightly thickened 

 (without any transverse bony plate behind such thickening when 

 present), and with a deep, sharp median notch. The palate projects 

 backwards considerably beyond the last molar ; it is but very 

 slightly concave antero-posteriorly, and has no median ridge running 

 in that direction, nor any defects of ossification. 



Fig. 3. 



Base of skull, twice the size of nature. 



Pterygoid fossae cannot be said to exist, the ecto-pterygoid ridge 

 not developing into a descending plate of bone, although distinctly 

 perforated posteriorly. The pterygoid descends as a triangular 

 lamella of bone ending in a delicate backwardly, downwardly, and 

 outwardly directed hamular process. The meso-pterygoid fossa 

 slightly narrows as it proceeds backwards, but does not end pos- 



