114 



DR. H. P. STAKDING ON SUBFOSSIL 



The maximum breadth in the case of the young animal is approximately one-third of 

 the maximum length of the skull, while in the adult it falls short of one-fourth. The 

 face, as might be anticipated, is of relatively small dimensions in the younger skull, 

 the nasals only occupying about 31 per cent, of the superior contour of the skull, as 

 compared with 41'5 per cent, in the full-grown animal ; the lengthening out of the 

 maxilla as adult age is reached occurs at both ends of the dental series. At the 

 posterior end space has to be found for the permanent molars, while at the anterior 

 portion the diastema between the first premolar and the canine, which in the young 

 specimen under consideration measures 15 mm., increases to double that length as 

 growth advances, 



Text-flff. 27. 



Restoration of skull and mandible of Megaladapis gi-andidieri. x i. 



As already stated, the olfactory fossa of the Megaladapina? is greatly constricted by 

 the lateral development of aerial sinuses. This effect extends to the cerebral fossa 

 itself with an accompanying reduction of substance of the frontal lobes. This 

 constriction is already visible in the immature skull, though it is not yet advanced to 

 the extent noticed in the adult. The backward lateral extension of the frontal and the 

 upward extension of the squamosal are not appreciably different from the condition of 

 these bones in the fully developed skull. There is, as might be expected, a total 

 absence of crests ; the two superior lines of attachment of the temporal muscles 

 occupy the position seen in recent Indrisinae. The frontal suture can still be traced, 

 though already fused, and the interorbital convexity is almost as prominent as in 

 the adult. In spite of the relatively smaller interorbital breadth already noticed, 



