37° 



AVES 



Fossil Relatives of the Birds. Saururae. — These reptile-like 

 forms had a long, slender, lizard-like tail, sharp teeth, a short neck, 

 a small keel to the breast bone and claws on the fingers and toes. 

 Two specimens were found in the Jurassic of Bavaria. The 

 Archeopteryx (Gr. ancient wing) was discovered in 1861 at Solen- 



FiG. 206. Archeopteryx as it would appear with feathers restored. (From Romanes, 

 Darwin and After Darwin. Courtesy of Open Court Publishing Co.) 



hofen, Bavaria; (Figure 206.) It had been so well preserved be- 

 tween the layers of lithographic slate that the details of feathers of 

 the wing and tail were plainly seen. It had a bird-like head and 

 brain. Its jaws were, however, equipped with sharp reptilian teeth. 

 The head and neck were devoid of feathers while the legs had quill 

 feathers. The wings had three fingers with reptile-like claws, with 



