IO58 CLASS REPTILIA. 



evidence to show that it does not belong to Tapinocephalus. These 

 associated bones show that the coracoid was distinct from the 

 precoracoid, and that the short and massive humerus had no 

 ectepicondylar foramen. In Titanosuchus the dentition (as was 

 probably the case with Tapinocephalus) was of a carnivorous type ; 

 the humerus is characterised by the presence of an ectepicondylar 

 foramen (in addition to the entepicondylar), which pierced right 

 through the shaft of the bone ; while a bone incorrectly described 

 as the pubis shows that the precoracoid was fused with the 

 coracoid. 



Family Galesaurid^. — Nearly the whole of the typical Therio- 

 dontia of Sir R. Owen may be provisionally included in this family , 



since, although some 

 genera have single and 

 others double nares, the 

 skulls of the two types 

 so closely resemble one 

 another as apparently to 

 render it impossible to 

 refer them to distinct 



Fig. 979. -Left lateral aspect of the skull of Galesaums families. The family is 

 pianiceps ; from the Karoo system of South Africa. Re- ^KaraptAn'cprl Ktr tVia 

 duced. Or, Orbit. Only some of the cheek-teeth are shown. CnardCieriSCU Uy IIIC 



humerus (when known) 

 being of a more elongated type than in the preceding family, and 

 by the smaller size of its members ; while the vert ebrae were probably 

 different from those of the latter, and had no intercentra. The 

 dentition is of a carnivorous type, and differentiated into an anterior, 

 or incisive, series separated by one large tusk or canine-like tooth, 

 from a lateral series of cheek (or molar) teeth ; thus sim ulating the 

 dentition of carnivorous Mammals, and more especially that of the 

 polyprotodont Mesozoic Marsupials. There are no teeth on the 

 palate. The majority of the genera are from the Stormberg and 

 Beaufort beds of the Karoo system of South Africa ; and we are 

 mainly indebted for our knowledge of the group to the labours 

 of Sir R. Owen. 



In the type genus Ga/esaurus, with which Nythosaurus is identi- 

 cal, the skull (fig. 979) is much depressed, with the nares divided 

 by a narrow septum ; there are 4 anterior and 1 2 cheek-teeth, the 

 latter having tricuspid crowns. In Lycosaurus (fig. 980, a, c) we 

 have larger forms distinguished by the lateral compression of the 

 skull, the distinctly double nares, short mandibular symphysis, and 

 by the number of the cheek-teeth being reduced to 5 ; the develop- 

 ment of the tusks being very great. ALlurosaurus, again, appears 

 to be a nearly allied but still more specialised genus, in which, by 

 the reduction of the septum, the nares have united to form a single 



