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 years ago, and is therefore out of date.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.RS. 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 



