DRAGONS OF OLD TIME 



153 



which arrested the floating carcases (more or less decomposed) 

 which had slowly drifted down the stream towards it. 



Diplodocus is almost the largest fossil reptile that has yet been 

 discovered. From the illustration showing one of the hind limbs 

 the reader probably surmises that Brontosaurus was a near 

 relation, which is true. Certain bones, and a skull of the former, 

 have been known for the last twenty years, but no one complete 

 skeleton has ever been found. However, through the labours 

 of Marsh, Hatcher, and Dr. W. J. Holland, enough material has 

 been collected to build up a complete model or reconstruction 



FIG. 52. Skull of Diplodocus. 

 1. Side view. 2. Front view. 



of the skeleton of this truly wonderful giant reptile, as shown 

 in Plate XXI. It is a cast in plaster-of-Paris the gift of Mr. 

 Andrew Carnegie, who, by his generous gifts, is doing much to 

 further scientific researches in various directions. This model 

 when first set up in the gallery devoted (chiefly) to modern 

 reptiles attracted a great deal of attention. Not unnaturally, for 

 it is so stupendous. A reptile 84J feet long was something 

 quite new to the public. This model is an exact copy of the 

 original composite skeleton, to be seen in the Carnegie Museum, 

 Pittsburgh. Each bone was cast in a separate mould made from 



