202 MESSRS. HANCOCK AND ATTHEY ON THE 



is entirely wanting ; but in other respects it is in an excellent 

 state of preservation. The exposed surface, which is that of the 

 crown, is wholly covered with the honeycomb - like sculpture 

 usual in these animals. The pits and ridges are remarkably re- 

 gular and deep, though they are occasionally elongated ; the 

 ridges are smooth, and have a semigloss — which two characters, 

 taken together with the colour, a dark brown, give to the whole 

 surface the appearance of carved box-wood. 



As presented to view, the contour of the skull is triangular, 

 with the apex truncated, and the base or occipital region arched 

 considerably inwards. The apex or muzzle not being present, 

 it is impossible to say how much it was produced when perfect ; 

 but, judging from the gentle inclination of the side margins, it 

 would seem to have been much prolonged. The whole of the 

 muzzle is broken away as far backward as the anterior border 

 of the enormous orbits. Across the broken extremity the skull 

 measures about five inches ; and the width of the occipital region 

 at the widest part is nine inches ; the length, from the broken 

 anterior extremity to a line drawn between the points of the 

 lateral expansions, is eight inches and a half. But if we make 

 allowance for what is wanting of the muzzle, the length of the 

 skull may be estimated at upwards of twelve inches. 



The longitudinal centre of the cranium is composed of a com- 

 paratively narrow strip of bone, which is apparently made up of 

 the frontals, the prefrontals, the parietals, the postfrontals, the 

 epiotics, and the occipitals ; but it is quite impossible to deter- 

 mine the boundaries of these component parts, as the sutures 

 are invisible, notwithstanding the fine condition of the specimen. 

 The anterior portion of this compound strip of bone divides the 

 large oblique orbits, the posterior portion the great lateral ex- 

 pansions which forms the sides of the occjpital region. In front 

 it is a little expanded laterally, and measures two inches and a 

 quarter across ; thence backwards for two inches and three-quar- 

 ters the sides arch gently inwards, forming the inner anterior 

 boundaries of what may be termed the anterior division of the 

 orbits ; and then for an inch and three-quarters further back the 

 sides are more strongly arched in the same direction, forming 



