200 FOSSIL REPTILES. 



terizes it particularly, more than the muzzle, is the armour of 

 the nape. After two oval isolated plates, and a range of four 

 others, smaller, come five scaly bands continuous with each 

 other and with the scales of the back, formed each of two large 

 square scales. The two first pair are very broad. The fol- 

 lowing three diminish gradually, and altogether they form on 

 the nape a cuirass as solid as that of any cayman or gavial. 

 The scales of the back are careened and disposed in trans- 

 verse ranges of six each, except the two first, which have but 

 four. 



This species, says the Baron, is obviously distinct from the 

 preceding, but unluckily no note respecting its origin has been 

 preserved. 



We now come to the species of the Gavial. 



The great gavial ; crocodilus longirostris, Schneider ; lacerta 

 Gangetica^ Gm. ; has been rather improperly named the cro- 

 codile of the Ganges, which would lead us to suppose that no 

 other crocodile existed in that river, which is not the fact. 



The muzzle is nearly cylindrical. It swells a little at the 

 end, and widens at the root. The head is singularly en- 

 larged, especially behind. Its transverse dimension is com- 

 prised twice and two-thirds in its total length. The upper 

 table of the cranium behind the orbits, forms a right angle 

 one-third wider than long. The length of the cranium, taken 

 from between the anterior edges of the orbits, is comprised 

 four times and a third in the total length. The orbits are 

 more wide than long. The space which separates them is 

 wider than themselves. The foramina of the cranium are 

 larger than in any other species ; larger even than the orbits, 

 and like them, more wide than long. They do not grow nar- 

 row scarcely even towards the bottom. 



There are twenty-five teeth on each side below, and twenty- 

 eight above, in all one hundred and six. 



The length of the beak is to that of the body as 1 to 7J. 



