878 MF. R. W. PALMER ON THE 



50. Tbe Brain and Braiii-Case of a Fossil Ungulate of the 

 Genus Anoplotherium. By R. W. Palmer, M.Sc. 

 (Manchester), Research Fellow in Zoology, University 

 (Jollege, Reading *. 



[Received May 29, 1913 : Read October 28, 1913.] 



(Text-figures 150-157.) 



Index. 

 Morphology. Page 



Anoplotherium': Skull — description of 878 



Brain— „ 885 



Systematic. 



AnnpLotheriurn related to Orycteropiis 886, 892 



For some time a cranium fiom the Phos]3horites of Quercy, 

 together with an exceptionally perfect and well-marked brain- 

 cast obtained from it, has been awaiting description in the British 

 Museum. The cast was submitted to Prof. G. Elliot Smith, 

 F.R.S., of Manchester, who intended to describe it, but he was 

 prevented from so doing by the pressure of other work, and very 

 generously passed it, together with the notes he had made on it, 

 to myself. By the courtesy of Drs, Smith Woodward and C. W. ■ 

 Andrews, of the British Museum, I have been allowed to describe 

 both the skull and brain-cast. 



The whole of the facial region of the specimen is missing, and 

 since the dentition of mammals forms such an excellent guide to 

 affinities that in original descriptions cranial features are for the 

 most part entirely overlooked, the identification of a toothless 

 skull such as this is a matter of difficulty. A study of the 

 literature of the subject and of such specimens as are available, 

 however, leaves little doubt as to the genus of the creature. 



The skull is bi-oken away at the back of the orbits, and the 

 paroccipital, zygomatic, and pterygoid processes are incomplete. 

 In dorsal view (text-fig. 150) it is seen to be narrow, elongate, and 

 somewliat fusiform. Its gieatest width in front of the zygo- 

 matic processes is 49 mm., but behind the orbits it is greatly 

 constricted and its width reduced to less than one half, or 23 mm. 

 At the back of the zygomata, not including the lambdoid ridge, 

 it measures 40 mm. across. The mai'ked postorbital constriction 

 is by no means uncommon in early Tertiary mammals, and 

 indicates at once a poor development of the frontal lobes of the 

 hemispheres. 



The most striking feature of the dorsal surface of the cranium, 

 however, is the great strength of the sagittal and lambdoid crests. 

 The former arises in front by the union of the two low postorbital 

 ridges on the frontals, and traverses the whole length of the brain- 



. * Communicated by Dr. C. W. Am>rews, F.R.S,, F.Z.S. 



