354 



DR. R. BROOM OX SOME NEW 



There is another palate recently discovered ^vith wliich a 

 compfirison may be made — viz., Whaitsia platyceps. This new type 

 was recently described by Haughton, and though it difiers greatly 

 from Moschorhinus, the snout has so much superficial resemblance 

 that a comparison seems advisable, even if only to cleai-lj^ difieren- 

 tiate the types. Whaitsia is a lai'ge Therocephalian — one of the 

 largest known. It has a broad flat snout, and if it were not for 

 the great difi'erence in the palate, one might be inclined to think 

 that Jloscliorhinus was a near ally. Furthei-, in the type of 

 Wliaitsia the number of incisors cannot be made out, though 

 there are four in what is regarded as a co-type. The palate, 

 howevei', is so very unlike that of any form previously known 



Text-fieure 9. 



Diagram of palate of Whaitsia flatycejys Hauglitou. 



that Mr. Haughton very wisely puts Whcnisia in a new family — 

 the Whaitsidipe. 



Mr. Haughton has given an excellent description cf the type 

 and a figure of both upper and lower sides. The description he 

 has given is so accurate that little need be added to it. But the 

 figure he gives of the palate is not very clear, and a new and 

 independent figure of this unique palate may not be regarded as 

 superfluous. 



if the palate, as I figure it, be compared with that of Mosclio- 

 rhinus, it will be seen to differ in only tAvo important points. 

 The suborbital vacuity, which in all typical Therocephalians is 

 large, is here practically closed, and the back part of the palate is 

 thus made to resemble slightly that of the Gorgonopsia, In 

 front, instead of there being a pair of large openings as in all 



