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  DISCOGLOSSID^. 
  

  

  Skeleton. 
  — 
  Etlimoid 
  short, 
  not 
  extending 
  poste- 
  

   riorly 
  beyond 
  the 
  anterior 
  third 
  or 
  two-fifths 
  of 
  the 
  

   parasphenoid, 
  embracing 
  above 
  a 
  large 
  fontanelle 
  

   which 
  extends 
  to 
  the 
  line 
  of 
  the 
  anterior 
  borders 
  of 
  

   the 
  orbits, 
  and 
  which 
  remains 
  exposed 
  between 
  the 
  

   diverging 
  anterior 
  borders 
  of 
  the 
  fronto-parietals 
  ex- 
  

   cept 
  in 
  very 
  old 
  specimens 
  ; 
  its 
  upper 
  lamina 
  obtusely 
  

   pointed 
  and 
  partly 
  covered 
  by 
  the 
  nasals, 
  which 
  are 
  

   large 
  and 
  form 
  a 
  long 
  suture 
  in 
  the 
  median 
  line. 
  

   Fronto-parietals 
  large, 
  in 
  contact 
  along 
  their 
  posterior 
  

   two-thirds 
  or 
  more. 
  Zygomatic 
  branch 
  of 
  the 
  squa- 
  

   mosal 
  joining 
  by 
  suture 
  an 
  ascending 
  process 
  of 
  the 
  

   maxillary. 
  Yomers 
  large, 
  their 
  posterior 
  toothed 
  

   border 
  nearly 
  straight, 
  and 
  covering 
  the 
  feeble 
  pala- 
  

   tines, 
  narrowly 
  separated 
  from 
  each 
  other 
  in 
  the 
  

   median 
  line 
  ; 
  pterygoids 
  regularly 
  trifurcate, 
  with 
  a 
  

   small 
  round 
  outer 
  wmg-like 
  expansion 
  at 
  the 
  meeting- 
  

   point 
  of 
  the 
  three 
  branches, 
  joining 
  a 
  corresponding 
  

   process 
  of 
  the 
  angular 
  bone 
  of 
  the 
  mandible; 
  the 
  

   inner 
  branch 
  of 
  the 
  pterygoid 
  in 
  contact 
  with 
  the 
  

   parasphenoid, 
  which 
  is 
  J_-shaped, 
  obtuse 
  or 
  truncated, 
  

   or 
  indentated 
  anteriorly, 
  and 
  not 
  quite 
  reaching 
  the 
  

   vomers. 
  Mento-Meckelians 
  quite 
  indistinct. 
  

  

  Hyoid 
  a 
  large, 
  broad 
  cartilaginous 
  plate 
  with 
  

   rounded 
  lateral 
  wings, 
  small 
  postero-lateral 
  processes, 
  

   and 
  proximally 
  slender, 
  mesially 
  broad 
  and 
  lamellar 
  

   ceratohyal 
  cornua 
  without 
  forward 
  processes 
  ; 
  in 
  addi- 
  

   tion 
  to 
  the 
  rather 
  large 
  thyrohyals, 
  which 
  meet 
  with 
  

   their 
  inner 
  angles, 
  there 
  is 
  a 
  V-shaped, 
  slender, 
  ventral 
  

   ossification, 
  which 
  is 
  in 
  contact 
  with 
  the 
  latter 
  at 
  its 
  

   apex, 
  and 
  reaches 
  forward 
  to 
  the 
  anterior 
  notch 
  of 
  the 
  

   cartilaginous 
  plate 
  ; 
  this 
  ossification 
  often 
  paired, 
  the 
  

   two 
  branches 
  being 
  disconnected 
  at 
  the 
  apex. 
  

  

  Vertebral 
  column 
  twice 
  to 
  twice 
  and 
  one-third 
  as 
  

   long 
  as 
  the 
  skull. 
  Vertebrae 
  imbricate 
  and 
  completely 
  

   covering 
  the 
  spinal 
  cord 
  above, 
  with 
  a 
  long 
  postero- 
  

   median 
  neural 
  process. 
  Second, 
  third, 
  and 
  fourth 
  

   vertebrae 
  with 
  short 
  diapophyses, 
  to 
  which 
  short 
  ribs 
  

   are 
  attached. 
  The 
  first 
  rib 
  is 
  the 
  shortest, 
  horizontal 
  

  

  