DINOSAURS 181 



Scelidosaurus : so named by Professor Owen from the indications 

 of greater power in the hind legs than in most saurians. 1 It is 

 the only known example of an almost entire skeleton of an 

 English Dinosaur, and the history of its discovery is rather 

 curious. Some time previous to 1861, Mr. J. Harrison, of 

 Charmouth, obtained from the Lower Lias of that neighbourhood 

 portions of the hind limb of a Dinosaur, and, later on, a nearly 

 complete skull. These specimens were described by Owen, and 

 the genus was founded on them. Mr. Harrison, whose discovery 

 aroused great interest, continued to search on the same spot, 

 and was rewarded by finding all the rest of the skeleton, except 

 most of the neck vertebrse. This was extracted in several blocks, 

 and these, after careful " development " of the bones, were fitted 

 together so as to exhibit the whole skeleton. This most valuable 

 specimen can now be seen at South Kensington in a separate 

 glass case, and is one of the treasures of the unrivalled gallery of 

 fossil reptiles. (The case is placed so that both sides of the 

 specimen can be seen.) Its length is about twelve feet ; perhaps 

 the individual it represents was not fully grown, but, on account 

 of the absence of most of the neck vertebrae, it is impossible to 

 give the exact length. Both hind limbs are entire and well seen, 

 but of the fore limbs the hands are wanting. The former were 

 provided with four " functional " toes that is, toes that were 

 used, and one " rudimentary " or unused one. There were two 

 big spines, one placed on each shoulder, and a series of long plates 

 arranged in lines along the back and side. 



Another Dinosaur, of considerable dimensions, which flourished 

 during the Wealden period was the Hylseosaurus, discovered by 

 Dr. Man tell, and so named by him because it came from the 

 Weald. 



1 From Greek sceHs, limb, and savros, lizard. 



