138 ZOOTOMY. 



40. The parietals (Fig. 35. pa\ A^t paired bones, fused 

 together in the middle line, and forming the posterior median 

 portion of the skull roof: they are perforated in the middle 

 line by a small aperture or fontanelle (» : each parietal 

 sends off from its postero-external angle a process which 

 passes outwards, downwards, backwards, and comes in con- 

 tact with the outer end of the parotic process. 



41. The frontals {fr), immediately in front of the 

 parietals, to which they are articulated by a straight 

 transverse coronal suture : anteriorly they terminate at 

 about the level of the front border of the orbit : they are 

 separated from one another by the delicate median frontal 

 suture : in front each frontal gives off a descending process, 

 which, passing vertically downwards, forms part of the 

 anterior wall of the orbit. 



42. The nasals (no), paired bones extending from the 

 anterior border of the frontals to the posterior border of the 

 anterior nasal fossa. 



43. The premaxilla {p.mx), a median bone forming the 

 extremity of the snout : it consists of an alveolar portion 

 bearing the four anterior teeth of each side, and of a nasal 

 process, which extends upwards, between the anterior nasal 

 fossE, to meet the nasals. 



44. The maxillsE, paired bones, continued backwards 

 from the outer ends of the premaxilla along the sides of the 

 skull : each consists of an alveolar portion bearing the 

 remainder of the teeth, a narrow palatine plate, extending 

 horizontally inwards from the bases of the teeth, and an 

 ascending process, which extends upwards between the orbit 

 and the anterior nasal fossa, articulating with the nasal 

 and prefrontal (§ 48), and forming the lateral wall of the 

 snout. 



45. The jugals, paired bones, each articulated to the 



