SKELETON. 37 



genera. The body is broad with well-developed, 

 sometimes ossified postero-lateral, but no anterior, 

 processes in the Discoglossidse (Fig. 12, d, p. 34); 

 with anterior processes and short postero-lateral 

 ones in the Pelohatidce and Bana (Fig. 14) ; elongate 



Mandible and hyoid of Bana esculenta, lower view. 

 ang. Angular. I pi. Lateral process of hyoid. 



c. Cornu of hyoid. \ PpT- Postero-lateral process of hyoid. 



cZ. Dentary. j pth. Thyroid process of hyoid. 



pa. Anterior process of hyoid. I sy. Symphysial (mento-Meckelian). 



and without anterior processes in Bufo. In Pelodytes 

 and Pelobates the anterior processes are much expanded, 

 converge towards each other, and join the lateral pro- 

 cesses, enclosing a fenestra on each side of the hyoid 

 plate. The cornua are broad in the Discoglossidse, 

 moderately broad in Bufo, slender in Rana ; they are 

 detached from the body of the hyoid in the Pelobatidas. 

 The thyroid processes are always ossified, and form a 

 pair of diverging styles, in front of which, on the 

 ventral side, a slender, single or paired, V- or H-shaped 

 ossification may be present, as in Discoglossus, Alytes, 

 and Pelodytes (Fig. 12, d, p. 34). 



The vertebral column (Fig. 15) is formed normally 

 of ten segments, viz. eight dorsal vertebrae, one sacral, 

 and the urostyle or coccyx, — or of nine if the urostyle 

 be fused with the ninth vertebra, as is frequent in 

 Pelobates. 



The vertebra are much depressed, especially the 



