FLYING DRAGONS. 



125 



seen in the figure is by Professor Owen. It is probable that this 

 Pterodactyl could walk on the ground with its wings folded, and 

 perhaps it was also capable of perching on trees, by clinging on 

 to their branches with its feet and toes. When the flying mem- 

 brane was stretched out it must, on account of the long tail to 

 which it was also attached, have presented a triangular shape, 

 somewhat like a boy's kite. 



Another genus, also from the lithographic slate of Bavaria, 

 namely, Scaphognathus crassirostris (so called on account of 

 its large beak and jaws), had a very short tail, and its skeleton 



Fig. 33. — Skeleton of Scaphognathus crassirostris. \ natural size. 



looks somewhat clumsy for a creature adapted to fly through 

 the air (Fig. 33). 



Pterodactylus spectabilis, from the same strata, also possessed 

 a very short tail, but has a more elegant and bird-like skull. 

 This pretty little flying dragon was only about as large as a 

 sparrow (see Fig. 34). Its neck is comparatively short, with but 

 few joints. The long slender beak was probably sheathed in 



