94 EXTINCT MONSTERS 
forms, the body of the vertebra was composed of three separate 
pieces, an arrangement peculiar to certain primitive fishes. 
Ever since an unfortunate restoration of a Labyrinthodont by 
Mr. W. Hawkins, it has been the custom—in popular works at 
least—to represent the creature with a frog-like aspect. This 
restoration was based on the imperfect material of a good many 
years ago, and is therefore out of date. But later discoveries 
have shown that, instead of being frog-like, most of the Laby- 
rinthodonts, if we could have seen them in the flesh, would 
have reminded us more of our modern little newts, or of the 
salamanders of hot countries. The tail was generally well 
developed, and the limbs were adapted quite as much for walking 
as for swimming. 
Their chests were defended by three bony plates (see Fig. 17), 
which had grooves similar to those on the skull. But besides 
this, all the under side of the body was protected by a large 
number of scales, running in two directions, as shown in Fig. 17. 
In one or two instances the whole body was covered with a 
coat of mail, consisting of small bony scales. An example 
of this kind of skin is the Seeleya, from the Permian rocks of 
Bohemia, restored by Fritsch, and named by him after the late 
Professor H. G. Seeley, F.R.S. In size the Labyrinthodonts 
varied greatly, some being only an inch or two in length, others 
seven or eight feet, and perhaps more. Most of them had 
limbs, but in one or two cases these had apparently been dis- 
pensed with. 
It might naturally be asked, Did they undergo a series of 
changes similar to the metamorphoses of a common frog? One 
could hardly, perhaps, have expected an answer to this question ; 
but, strange to say, some of the smaller forms from the petroleum 
shales (Gaskohle) of Bohemia, so carefully studied and described 
