{225}[Illustration: FIG. 131.—Lateral view of the primary and secondary upper and lower jaws of _Polyodon_. _b.br′_, First basi-branchial; _ch_, cerato-hyal; _d_, dentary; _hy.h_, hypo-hyal; _hy.m_, hyomandibular; _i.hy_, inter-hyal; _i.op_, inter-operculum; _lgs_, ligaments connecting the palato-quadrate cartilage with the hyomandibular; _mk.c_, Meckel's cartilage; _mx_, maxilla; _op_, operculum; _pa_, palatine; _pa.q_, palato-quadrate; _ps.l_, pre-spiracular ligament; _q_, quadrate cartilage; _sym_, symplectic. (From Bridge.)] Numerous dermal bones invest the dorsal surface of the chondrocranium, and only to a limited extent correspond with the less numerous membrane bones of the Salmon. To these are added a series of circum-orbital bones and a large parasphenoid. Undoubtedly the most striking feature in these Fishes is the primitive character of the upper jaw. In _Polyodon_ (Fig. 131) the palato-quadrates are wholly cartilaginous, and, as in the Dog-Fish, they meet in front beneath the basis cranii, where the two are connected by ligament. The secondary upper jaw is but feebly developed, and is represented on each side by a thin splint-like maxilla in relation with the outer surface of each palato-quadrate cartilage, which meets its fellow in front. There are no premaxillae. The lower jaw is also very primitive. Meckel's cartilages are persistent, and except for a mento-Meckelian bone on each side, they are unossified, although membrane bones representing dentary and splenial elements are present. The skull is hyostylic. The hyoid and branchial arches are only partially ossified. Each opercular fold is supported by an operculum and an interoperculum, and both of these retain somewhat the shape of the cartilaginous hyoidean rays which they have replaced. In the Sturgeon (Fig. 130) the upper jaw is greatly modified in relation with the singular mouth of this Fish. The palato-quadrate cartilages meet not only in front, but also along their dorsal margins, and, with the help of the similarly opposed and somewhat fragmentary metapterygoid {226}cartilages, they form a complete concave roof for the protrusible spout-like mouth. Palatine, mesopterygoid, and pterygoid bones invest, and in some measure replace these cartilages. In brief, the skull of the Chondrostei occupies an interesting intermediate position between the purely cartilaginous and mainly bony types. While retaining a well-developed and unossified primary cranium, it has acquired a complete secondary cranium of dermal bones. Equally notable is the condition of the jaws. Unique among the Teleostomi in possessing the typical Elasmobranch union of the palato-quadrate cartilages beneath the basis cranii, the Chondrostei are so far specialised that they have acquired certain of the membrane bones which constitute the secondary jaws of the more typical bony Fishes.