134 FAUNA ANTIQUA tlVALENSIS. 



intervening for tlie incisive sntnres is a point wliich has a 

 close resemblance in the existing animal. 



The frontal angle is more acute in the fossil ; the coronal 

 crest runs more obliquely bactwarcls, and the antero-posterior 

 length of the frontal is twice as much as in the African. 

 From the rounded form of the nasal suture in its contact 

 with this bone, the anterior part of the frontal forms a tongue 

 bounded by the lachrymal in front and by the nasal and orbit 

 on the two sides. From the depth of the temporal fossa, as 

 in the existing animal, the width of the cranium is somewhat 

 less than that of the muzzle over the sub-orbitary foramina, 

 and the interval between the inner side of the zygomatic arch 

 and the surface of the cranium is somewhat less than the 

 width of the cranium. 



On the lower surface we are, unfortunately, not so well 

 provided with sutiu-es to guide us in oiu' comparative dimen- 

 sions ; for, with the exception of those between the lines of 

 molars which are in themselves not very distinct, there are 

 none whatever. The position of the bones in rear of the 

 palatal sinus appears to correspond with that of the existing 

 animal, although the relative dimensions and proportions 

 will, it is supposed, be modified by the peculiarities described 

 in the uj)per surface and dependent on the lengthened form 

 of this region. The basillary mastoid apophyses and the 

 slightly concave surface of the glenoid cavity appear to 

 resemble those of the Cape Hippopotamus ; this latter canity 

 is more in rear of the most salient projection of the zygo- 

 matic arches than in the living animal. In the form and 

 position of the molars the only remark that may be made is 

 on the non-parallelism of the lines. Cuvier describes those of 

 the Cape Hippopotamus as parallel but slightly curving out- 

 wards towards the front {un peu ecartees en avant) . We see some 

 difference in oiir different specimens, but in all there is a curv- 

 ing outwards both in front and rear, the middle of the palate 

 being the most contracted (PI. XI. fig. 2). This curving out- 

 wards is most shown towards the front, where the lines of 

 molars appear to attempt a parallelism with the outer line of 

 the maxillary bone, instead of running parallel to each other. 

 The space between the most advanced molar and the canine 

 is very much smaller in the fossil than in the existing animal, 

 a point that may depend, perhaps, on the substitution of the 

 six small incisors requiring but small alveoli ; for the large 

 ones (especially the two central) require a much larger sur- 

 face and a much greater depth, to admit of their being securely 

 fixed. The palate is, as in the li^dng animal, marked by a 

 deep fissure in front, between the incisive bones ; and the 

 suture appears similar, though this is not very distinct in the 



