96 Proceedings of the Royal Physical Society. 



in front, and includes the greater part of what has hitherto 

 been recognised, and described under the various names, 

 sphenoidal spongy bone, sphenoidal cornu, and bone of Bertin. 

 Its inner margin is joined by the superior piece at an acute 

 angle, and is prolonged downwards and forwards so as to lie 

 edge to edge with the corresponding lamina of the vomer, im- 

 mediately in front of the thick dilated part of that bone. 

 Beneath and behind is the sphenoidal process of the palate- 

 bone, and behind that is the internal pterygoid process. In 

 man, therefore, as in other mammalia, we find three processes 

 in succession from behind forwards, viz., the pterygoid bone, 

 the sphenoidal process of the palate-bone, and an arch passing 

 from the ethmoid to the vomer, adapted to it edge to edge ; 

 and moreover, this arch completes the foramen which divides 

 the ascending part of the palate-bone. It in every respect, 

 therefore, corresponds with the ethmO-vomerine lamina. The 

 reason why the arch formed by the vomer and ethmoid is 

 broken up in the human subject into so many separate pieces 

 is to be sought in the characteristic peculiarities of the human 

 subject, particularly in the very slight development of the 

 organ of smell, and the rapid curvature of the cranio-facial 

 arch. But on this subject I hope to speak more fully on some 

 future opportunity. The inferior edges of the sphenoidal 

 spongy bones, which in childhood lie edge to edge with the 

 vomer, are in the adult state smoothed down to a mere ridge, 

 and considerably separated from the middle line by the ex- 

 pansion of the sphenoidal sinuses. 



We have now seen that the relations of the vomer to the lateral 

 masses of the ethmoid in the human subject are essentially the 

 same as in the mammalia generally. In early life the human 

 vomer resembles those of other mammals in form likewise, and 

 seems to be connected in the same manner with, the intermaxil- 

 lary bones. In the skulls of foetuses and young children the 

 vomer mainly consists of two laminae extending upwards on the 

 sides of the cartilaginous septum of the nose. The inferior edge 

 exhibits a flat surface with a raphe in the middle line, which 

 articulates with the superior maxillaries proper, i. e.. with the 

 part behind the anterior palatine foramen ; and which narrows 

 to an edge behind, where it comes in contact with the palate- 



