Marsh Collection, Peabody Museum. 295 



nasal nerve. The anterior sphenoidal fissure and foramen 

 rotundnm are apparently distinct, although a slight crushing 

 of this region of the skull renders this somewhat uncertain; 

 they seem to open externally in a circular depression common 

 to these two and the anterior opening of the alisphenoid canal. 



The palate is rather long and narrow. The anterior palatine 

 fossae have a position well forward and are more or less slit- 

 like. The posterior palatine canals are of moderate size and 

 are placed opposite the fourth premolar, which nearly coincides 

 with the anterior limit of the palatine bones. Posterior to 

 these are some eight or ten minute openings which in all prob- 

 ability are vestiges of the vacuities of the marsupial palate. 

 The posterior edge of the palate is considerably thickened, and 

 between the posterior extremity of the maxillary and the 

 palatine is a deep grove, the function of which is not very 

 clear. 



The lower jaw of the individual under consideration is of 

 unusual pathological interest, as showing, among these ancient 

 animals, the result of healing of a fracture. During life the 

 horizontal ramus of the left side had been broken near the 

 middle portion, opposite the second molar, and had completely 

 healed without any apparent shortening. The posterior por- 

 tion had, nevertheless, been displaced upward, and a large 

 exostosis formed upon the outside, involving at the same time 

 the inferior border of the horizontal ramus. 



The right ramus is, however, normal and may be described 

 as long and moderately slender. The symphysis is strong and 

 extends to beneath the anterior border of the third premolar. 

 Anteriorly, upon the side of the horizontal portion, are two 

 mental foramina, the larger of which is situated beneath the 

 first premolar and the smaller beneath the anterior portion of 

 the third premolar. The coronoid is of moderate height and 

 displays the characteristic backward slope, peculiar, as far as I 

 am aware, to all members of the subfamily ; it lacks the usual 

 high falcate pattern so common to the Carnivora. The masse- 

 teric fossa is broad and shallow and does not exhibit the strong 

 ridges for muscular attachment of the more typical biters. 

 The condyles are heavy, of half -cylindrical pattern, and sup- 

 ported upon rather long, stout necks. The angle is prominent 

 and considerably inflected, as in the Marsupials. Indeed, the 

 posterior region of the mandible exhibits so many striking 

 peculiarities that, in the absence of other parts of the skeleton, 

 it would be quite sufficient to distinguish the subfamily with- 

 out difficulty. 



Dentition. — The teeth are in such a worn condition that they 

 furnish very unsatisfactory information of their structure. 

 They were, however, so nearly like those of Mesonyx obtusidens, 



