ox A COAL-MEASUKE STEGOCEPHALIAN. 949 



55. BatraclLiderpeton lineatum Hancock & Atthej, a Coal- 

 Measure Stegoceplialian. By D. M, S. Watson, M.Sc., 

 Lecturer on Vertebrate Palaeontology in University 

 College^ London *. 



[Received May 20, 1913 : Eead October 28, 1913.] 

 (Plates XCVI. & XCYII.,t and Text-figures 162^167.) 



Index. Page 



Morphology 949 



Systematic 958 



Amongst the wonderful series of vertebrate fossils in the 

 Hancock Museum, Newcastle-on-Tyne, derived from the Low 

 Main Seam of Newsham Colliery, a small stegocephalian Batrachi- 

 derpeton is represented by excellent material, which is described 

 as completely as possible in this paper. 



Skull. — Material. 



I. A nearly complete skull with the ornament and palate well 



preserved. The type specimen. (Atthey collection.) 



II. A complete skidl showing with great clearness all the 



sutvires on the top of the head. (Atthey collection.) 



III. A much disarticulated skull of importance in ascertaining 



the structure of the palate. (Atthey collection.) 



IV. Half of a badly-preserved skull, showing well the maxillary 



and palatine teeth. (Dinning collection.) 



Shape of the Skull, 



All the specimens are crushed flat, so that the shape of the 

 skull has to be settled by indirect means. It is triangular in 

 plan, the postero-lateral corners being much produced into long 

 " cornua." Specimen 11. shows that there were almost vertical 

 cheeks, as on the right side this part was turned under and 

 crushed on to the lower surface of the roof of the skull, whilst 

 the left side is pressed outwards. This crushing has only very 

 slightly distorted the palate, and the distance between the two 

 quadrates is almost identical with that between the spot where 

 the cheek is turned under on the right side and the corresponding 

 point on the left side. 



There is a pineal foramen of medium size almost exactly half- 

 way between the point of the nose and the back of the head in 

 the middle line. The orbits are laterally placed and lie entirely 

 in front of the middle of the skull. The small anterior nares are 

 also laterally placed. 



The structure of the cranial roof will be best understood from 



* CWimuiiicated by Prof. .J. P. Hill, D.Sc, F.R.S., F.Z.S. 

 ■j- For explanation of the Plates see p. 962. 



