The crowns or prominent external surfaces of the enormous canine teeth
project in the centre of the face on either side like pillars, just
below the nostrils, and extend above and below the row of teeth in the
two upper jaws (see Fig. 16). In this way the crowns of the canine
teeth form a retreating triangular space, of which the base-line of
the equilateral triangle corresponds with the row of teeth. The chin
part of the lower jaw, in a front view, also takes the form of an
equilateral triangle. In the latter case the base-line is covered by
that section of the row of teeth containing the incisor teeth. The
sides of the triangle are covered by the converging canine teeth (see
again Fig. 17). The incisor teeth, enclosed between the latter, in
that part of the lower jaw already described, are retreating. The rami
of the lower jaw are high and very wide. The angle of the lower jaw
is obtuse (Fig. 15). The front or coronoid process and the back or
condyloid process of the ramus of this bone are separated from each
other by a deep, hollow cleft. The condyloid process projects abruptly
above, but is less marked behind.
When we consider the internal form of the skull of an aged male
gorilla, the first thing that strikes us is the marked development of
the frontal sinuses, and especially their width in the region of the
nasal portion of the frontal bone. We next observe the wings of the
sphenoid bone, and that these large concave apophyses are provided
with spaces only slightly separated from each other. These sinuses are
not only plainly connected with each other, but with the sphenoidal
sinuses. There is a broad sinus in the malar bone, provided with
vestibules, and this has a deep communication with the maxillary sinus,
or antrum of Highmore, embedded in the body of the upper maxillary
bone. There are, finally, sinuses at the point of junction between the
coronal and occipital crests.
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