454 
G. J. DE FEJÉRVÁR Y 
not, cannot be stated (from the figures) as no suture can be seen ; processûs 
trabeculae inferiores broken, as well as the parasphenoid ; sella turcica 
(= dorsum ephippii) damaged, its right anterior process being ho we ver¬ 
weil discernible ; foramen for the branch of carotis interna not discer¬ 
nible on figure, though present on the fossil; these «vascular (entocarotid) 
canals» are in a «closer approximation» 
to eachother than in Iguana tuberculata , 
to which Sir E. Owen compared in this 
respect the Megalanian fragment (op. 
cit. p. 1040); on the right side (under 
the crista otosphenoidea), at (the upper 
part of) the base of proc. pterygoideus 
a dark shadow indicates the foramen 
canalis Yidiani anterius. In the front 
part of this bone, in its median region 
there is a large cavity (Textfig. 
295), the fossa hypophyseos, or cavity 
for the pituary gland (hypophysis) of 
the cerebrum. The largeness of this 
cavity in comparison to that containing 
the brain, seems to be a very conside¬ 
rable one, the fossa hypophyseos being- 
in Megalania . (relatively) a good deal 
larger than in Varanidae , which again 
on their part present — in the average — 
a much larger pituary cavity than 
other modern Lacertiliens. Allu¬ 
sion shall be made still to this interes¬ 
ting fact in the next chapter. 
These are the morphological cha¬ 
racters to be stated on the two drawings 
of the Megalanian occipital fragment 
published by Sir E. Owen, the state¬ 
ment of which seemed to me to be an 
important one, as Sir E. Owen’s description did not afford the knowledge 
of this interesting skull fragment in a sufficient manner. Exhaustive data on 
it could be offered but by a careful re examination of the original remain. 
II. Mandible. The remain of the mandible consist in a fragmen¬ 
tary dentary-bone, described by Sir E. Owen 1 under the name of « Notio - 
Fig. 31. Longitudinal slice of mandible 
and toothbase, of same fragment as on 
preceeding figure (Textfig. 30). — From 
Sir R. Owen, 1. c., Fig. 9; the original 
drawing, magnified 120 diameters, being 
here reduced to 1 1 / 2 of its height. 
1 Phil. Trans., Voi. 175, p. 249—251. 
