72 The Alligator and Its Allies 
five foramina, four of which were described in 
connection with the lateral view. Some distance 
laterad and somewhat dorsad to the pair already 
described is the fifth and largest foramen (VII); 
it really lies between the exoccipital and quadrate, 
but the former bone forms almost its entire bound- 
ary; through it, according to Reynolds, pass the 
seventh nerve and certain blood-vessels. 
The basioccipital (14) which, as has been said, 
forms a small part of the ventral wall of the foramen 
magnum, consists of a heavy dorsal portion, the ven- 
trally curved condyle, and of a broader, irregular 
ventral portion, between which and the basisphe- 
noid is the single opening of the Eustachian canals 
(eu). Dorsally and laterally the basioccipital artic- 
ulates with the exoccipitals; ventrally, laterally, 
and anteriorly with the basisphenoid which was 
described in the lateral view. 
The Sagittal Section (Fig. 23). The only bones 
‘shown in this figure (besides those of the mandible, 
to be described later) that have not already been 
described are the vomers and those of the auditory 
capsules. 
The vomers (15) are delicate bones articulating 
with the maxille, the palatines, the pterygoids, and 
with each other. They form a part of the septum 
and roof of the nasal passage. 
The mesethmoid is not ossified. 
Reynolds describes the bones of the auditory 
capsules as follows: 
