462 DR. J. MURIE ON SAIGA TARTARICA. _ (June 9, 
prenarial wall, is remarkable on account of its outwardly long cylin- 
drical character. In these respects, and in the absolute shearing out 
of the upper or nasal border of the maxilla, this bone in the Saiga 
is distinguishable from that of every living Ruminant. The antrum 
of Highmore, or sinus maxillaris, is very capacious, and the osseous 
walls altogether thin. A portion of it projects more than usual into 
the pterygo-maxillary and zygomatic fossa ; and this gives, when seen 
from the palate, a rounder figure to the fossa than obtains in ovine, 
caprine, or cervine forms. In the Chiru, Panthalops hodgsoni, an 
analogous inflation and extension of the postmaxilla is observable ; 
and it is further curious to note that both the Saiga and the Chiru 
are distinguished among antelopes on account of their nasal appen- 
dages. Regarding these and the enlarged larynx of Pallas’s A. 
gutturosa, Turner remarks (P. Z. S. 1850, p. 168)—‘‘ These seem 
to be physiological adaptations, in no case marking a group, and 
therefore insufficient to warrant generic distinction, which has been 
made in the two latter instances.’’ So far I agree with that meritorious 
author ; but had he seen the skulls, be would have found other 
distinctions whereon to base separation. 
The palatal plate of the palate bone (P/.), pierced by the posterior 
palatine foramen, is relatively large fora bovine. Behind it is broad 
and widely arching over the rounded front border of the posterior 
nares, gives much greater breath to this part than is found in the 
Antilopide or even Ovide; with its neighbouring plate of the op- 
posite’side, they, together crescentiform, reach forwards mesially 
to opposite the middle of the posterior lobe of the penultimate 
molars. As far as this latter disposition is concerned, it evinces 
leanings towards Sheep and Goats rather than Antelopes ; moreover 
in Deer and Cattle these horizontal palatal plates in general pass to 
opposite a molar beyond the above. The very thin, moderately broad, 
yet remarkably deep, vertical pterygo-palatine plate of the Saiga, as 
im other ruminants, mainly forms the inner wall of the sphenomaxil- 
lary fossa, being strengthened moreover by the somewhat united 
stouter pterygoid process of the sphenoid bone. 
The opening of the posterior nares is two inches deep, and about 
one inch wide. Its open rounded palatine end is placed some dis- 
tance behind the last molar. Thus in position it agrees with its 
hitherto believed ally the Chiru Antelope ; but in shape it disagrees, 
reverting to the ovine postnarial form. The anterior narial aperture 
of the Saiga, compared even with its own large posterior narial pas- 
sage, is of excessive proportions, quite 13 inch across, and between 2 
and 3 in depth; inferiorly the bone is smooth-surfaced. 
The slender columellar vomer (Vo), whilst vertically high, is re- 
markably short antero-posteriorly ; and its palatal attachment neither 
advances to the anterior narial aperture nor recedes to the posterior 
one, The spheno-rostral part, however, is well seen behind; and in 
the live animal the anterior bony septal deficiency is made up for by 
cartilage and soft membranous substance. It is curious, though, 
that, excepting above, the vomer anteriorly is not grooved nor has 
everted lips, as is the rule in Ruminants. 
