176 MR. D. M. 8S. WATSON ON THE 
AnomopontIA. (Dicynodon etc.) 
The Anomodonts are small to large reptiles of semi-crawling 
gait and herbivorous diet. There is one temporal vacuity sur- 
rounded by the postorbital and squamosal, or the same bones with 
the jugal in addition. No temporal bone except the squamosal. 
Temporal region short, pineal foramen not very far back, a pre- 
parietal present. 
Occiput composed of a plate with small laterally placed post- 
temporal vacuities. Supraoccipital overlapped by the vertically 
placed interparietal [and tabulares when present.| Brain-cavity 
very high. Opening to inner ear placed very low down. Stapes 
in contact with the quadrate. Quadrate small, almost completely 
overlapped behind by the large triradiate squamosal, Quadrato- 
jugal present, but almost invariably fused with the quadrate. 
Palate with large pterygoids, meeting below the basisphenoid, 
then separating so as to leave a large interpterygoid vacuity, 
reaching forward to the prevomers. Prevomers—fused, separating 
the posterior nares, a rudimentary secondary palate formed by 
maxille and palatines. Transverse present or not. Parasphenoid 
a long, thin vertically placed plate forming a rostrum to the 
basisphenoid and extending forward over the interpterygoid 
vacuity to the prevomers (? in all types). Teeth on the maxilla 
only, sometimes absent. Septomaxillary always present, some- 
times in the nostril, sometimes on the face; lachrymal meeting 
or not meeting the septomaxillary. Lower jaw with flat angular, 
with a deep notch overluung by a reflected lamina. 25-28 pre- 
sacral vertebree; no intercentra behind the atlas. Ribs double- 
headed in front, single-headed behind. Sacrum of four to seven 
vertebre. Tail short. In shoulder-girdle—scapula with strong 
acromion, two coracoidal elements, the anterior excluded from 
the glenoid cavity. Clavicles and broad flat interclavicle always, 
cleithrum sometimes present. Humerus short, broad, twisted, 
with an entepi- and sometimes ectepicondylar foramina. Carpus 
with two centralia and five distal carpals, sometimes unossified ; 
formula of phalanges 2, 3, 3, 3, 3. Pelvis with a large ilium, 
small pubis and ischia, with a pubo-ischiadic vacuity, sometimes 
no symphysis between the two halves. Femur long and com- 
paratively slender; two proximal and four distal tarsals and one 
centrale. Five digits in pes, formula 2, 3. 3, 3, 3 usually, some- 
times with additional phalanges in 3rd and 4th toes. 
Tt will be convenient to treat the ‘Therocephalia” and 
“‘ Cynodontia” together, as the two groups in a wide sense stand 
in the relation of parent and child. 
Small to large reptiles of carnivorous habit, semi-crawling to 
thoroughly cursorial. 
Skull with a single temporal vacuity (? traces of another in 
Cynognathus) bounded by the postorbital and squamosal, some- 
times with the parietal and jugal in addition. Only a squamosal 
of the temporal elements. Temporal region short to fairly long. 
