978 W. K. GREGORY REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON NOMENCLATURE 



correct characters which the other omits. By the distribution of his pho- 

 tographs to various workers, certainly before the end of September, Wil- 

 liston's name of postplenial had at least some degree of publication a 

 month before my paper appeared. 



Prearticular. — This term of Williston's has undoubted priority over 

 goniale, and I fail to see any objection to it. 



Prevomer. — This name was proposed by me for the "dumbbell-shaped 

 bone" in Ornitli07'hynchus in 1895. This bone is certainly no part of the 

 premaxilla in front or the vomer behind. It may be a neomorph or it 

 may be^ as I believe, the homologue of the paired '^^vomers'^ of the lower 

 forms. It is unnecessary here to enter into the discussion. The matter 

 may be regarded as still sub judice. The Cynodonts, which I thought 

 would settle the question, are already too mammal-like. We must look to 

 a slightly more primitive form for a settlement. In any case the mam- 

 malian prevomer is a distinct cranial element. 



Splenial.^ — The structure of the mandible in the Plesiosaur shows, I 

 think, pretty conclusively that the anterior-inferior element, which forms 

 part of the symphysis, is the homologue on the one hand of the anterior 

 element in the Stegocephalian and Therapsid jaw and also of the splenial 

 of the Crocodilian jaw. 



SupratemporaX, Suprasquamosal, Supramastoid. — I am quite willing 

 to adopt any term agreed on by the majority. Suprasquamosal is not a 

 new term of mine, having been used by Owen at least as early as 1859— 

 certainly before supramastoid of Cope. 



It is very desirable that some one should undertake a careful study of 

 the ossification of the cranial elements in the human skull by modern 

 methods. There is very much that yet remains unknown or obscure. 'For 

 example, what are the sphenoidal conchas (bones of Bertin) ? In Chryso- 

 cldoris I have discovered a pair of membrane bones probably homologous 

 with these situated below the back part of the nasal capsules. Are they 

 neomorphs? Again, in the most up-to-date text-book of human anatomy 

 I have at hand, the petrosal is stated to be formed from four centers of 

 ossification: 1, the opisthotic; 2, the prootic; 3, the pterotic, and 4, the 

 epiotic, "often double." A little careful research would easily settle the 

 homologies of these structures, and until it is done I fear some confusion 

 will remain in the terminology of this region. If once we had a full 

 knowledge of the human condition it will not be difficult to work down 

 the vertebrate series. 



'■'■ Compare Williston's remarks below, p. 986. — Editor. 



