Palaeolithic, the ancient stone age; a term applied to the earliest traces of man when he was cotemporary with many extinct mammalia.

Palaeontological, belonging to the science of the ancient life of the earth.

Parallelogram, a figure having four sides, the opposite sides of which are parallel, and consequently equal.

Parietal, pertaining to the bones which form the sides and upper part of the skull.

Pathological, pertaining to the knowledge of disease.

Pelvic, pertaining to the open, bony structure at the lower extremity of the body.

Perihelion, that point in the orbit of a planet, or comet, in which it is nearest to the sun.

Perimeter, the outer boundary of a body.

Phalanges, the small bones of the fingers and toes.

Philologist, one versed in the laws of human speech.

Pliocene, a term applied to the most recent tertiary deposits.

Post-Tertiary, the second period of the age of mammals.

Prototype, a model after which anything is to be copied.

Quadrangular, having four angles, and consequently four sides.

Quadrumana, an order of animals whose fore feet correspond to the hands of man.

Quartz, a stone of great hardness, with a gla.s.sy l.u.s.tre, and varying in color from white, or colorless, to black.

Quartzite, granular quartz.

Quaternary, same as Post-Tertiary.

Radius, the smaller and exterior bone of the fore-arm.

Reliquiae, remains of the dead.

Rhematic, that period when men first began to coin expressions for the most necessary ideas.

Rodent, an animal that gnaws.

Ruminant, an animal that chews the cud.

Sagittal, the suture which connects the parietal bones of the skull.

Savant (sa-v[)o]ng), a person eminent for acquirements.

Scapula, the shoulder-blade.

Schist, a rock having a slaty structure.

Scientist, a person noted for his profound knowledge.

Sediment, the matter which subsides to the bottom.

Semitic, pertaining to one of the families of nations, or languages, and so named from its members being ranked as the descendants of Shem.

Serpentine, a soft, ma.s.sive stone, in color dark to light green.

Siliceous, containing silica, or flinty matter.

Simian, a name given to the various tribes of monkeys.

Squamous, the anterior and upper part of the temporal bone, scale-like in form.

Stalagmite, a deposit of earthy matter, made by calcareous water dropping on the floors of caverns.

Stratified, formed or deposited in layers.

Stratum (pl. strata), a bed or layer.

Subsidence, the act of sinking or gradually descending.

Superciliary, the bony superior arch above the eye-brow.

Suture, the seam which unites the bones of the skull.

Symphysis, a connection of bones without a movable joint.

Talus, a sloping heap of fragments of rocks lying at the foot of a hill.

Tarsal, relating to the ankle.

Temporal, pertaining to that portion of the head located to the front and a little above the ear.

Terra-cotta, a kind of pottery made from fine clay, hardened by heat.

Tertiary, the first period of the age of mammals.

Thoracic, pertaining to the breast or chest.

Troglodyte, an inhabitant of a cave.