ORDER CARNASSIER. 133 



The nasal cavities of the Nycteres, when first examined 

 in the cranium, might be considered as of no great depth, 

 because the bones which circumscribe their extent are very 

 narrow. The lower or palatal lamina, is not extended be- 

 yond the second molar, and the external plate, or as it 

 were, nasal maxillaries are quite rudimentary. But we 

 form a very contrary opinion of these nasal cavities, when 

 we see them provided with their soft parts. The hinder 

 or back nostrils open considerably beyond the point where 

 the maxillary bone is terminated, and the external conduits 

 have their large entrances filled, and apparently incumbered 

 with lobes and cutaneous appendages. A fold of skin ori- 

 ginates from the middle of each conduit. A lobe, which is 

 formed like the head of a nail, and is nothing but the car- 

 tilage of the nostril, is seen at each side, and unites with 

 the interior fold in hermetically sealing the nasal orifice. 

 The only effort on the part of the animal, necessary for 

 this operation, is simply to wrinkle or knit up these parts, 

 or, perhaps, only to abandon them to their natural elasticity. 

 The cavity of the nostrils is prolonged behind with the 

 forehead. But what is not less remarkable, is the size 

 and channelled form of this peculiar part. This gives 

 to the nycteres the sombre and savage physiognomy by 

 which they are characterized. 



The forehead is, in fact, extended beyond its habitual 

 dimensions, by means of the bony laminae which originate 

 from the sides of the os coronalis, and unite together on 

 the vertex. The canal or longitudinal scissure which re- 

 sults from the projection of these crests, extends upon the 

 nostrils. 



The forehead undergoes these strange metamorphoses, 

 probably, to supply the extreme smallness of the nasal 

 apertures, and may be, perhaps, a sort of funnel where the 

 odorant fluids are collected. The edges of this scissure are 



