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 ethuio-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 som^e 
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 thevomer 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- 
