226 DR. R. BROOM ON 



Scylacops capensis (PI. XXXYI.). 

 Broom, Annals S. African Mus. 1913. 

 Scylacops capensis is pretty closely allied to Gorgono2)s torvus. 

 The figures given show most of the cranial characters. The most 

 noteworthy features seen in the figure of the side view (fig. 1) are 

 the large septo-maxilla, the large prefrontal which meets the post- 

 frontal and shuts out the frontal from the orbital margin, and 

 the great forward extension of the zj^gomatic portion of the 

 squamosal. 



The upper view of the skull (fig. 2) shows some much more re- 

 markable characters. The large size of the prefrontal is again seen. 

 The frontals, though fairly large, do not reach the orbital margins. 

 Behind the frontal is a large postfrontal bounded by the pre- 

 frontal, the frontal, the parietal, and the postorbital. BetAveen 

 the back parts of the frontals and in front of the paxietals is 

 a well-developed median preparietal. Though a preparietal has 

 long been known in most Anomodonts, it has not hithei-to been 

 detected in any other group. It is certainly absent in typical 

 Therocephalians such as Scylacosaitrus and Lycosuchus, and is 

 apparently not present in Dinocephalians, while no trace of it 

 exists in Cynodonts, nor has it been detected in Pelycosaurs. A 

 careful re-examination of the skull of Gale^nis joioberti f^eems to 

 show evidence of a small but distinct preparietal round the front 

 of the large pineal foramen. We may thus regard the presence 

 of a preparietal as a character of the Anomodontia,. the Gorgo- 

 nopsia, and the Dromasauria. In Anomodonts and in Galepus 

 the preparietal always forms at least the antei-ior wall of the 

 foramen. In the Gorgonopsia the foramen is between the 

 parietals, and the preparietal is some distance in front. The 

 parietals are large, and each has a process which extends far 

 laack and forms an important part of the bony wall which 

 separates the temporal fossa from the occiput. The end of the 

 posterior process is clasped by the squamosal. Posteriorly 

 the parietals are mainly bounded by the large interparietal. The 

 postorbital is very large. It forms the gi"eater part of the post- 

 orbital arch and the whole of the upper margin of the temporal 

 fossa. 



Whatever may be the case with the temporal fossa in the 

 Plesiosaurs, the condition of the bones in this skull will, I think, 

 convince everyone that the fossa in the Therapsida is the homo- 

 logue of the inferior fossa, of the Rhynchocephalia, as I have for 

 a number of years maintained. 



The occipital view (fig. 4) of the skull shows the great develop- 

 ment of the squamosals and the large interparietal. The suture 

 between the basioccipital and the exoccijpitals cannot be made 

 out, nor is there any evidence of a distinct supra-occipital. The 

 condyle is single. 



The palatal view (fig. 3) shows many features of great interest. 

 The front part of the palate cannot be seen, and is restored from 

 other specimens. Though the skull of Scylacojys cajyensis shows 



