FLYING DRAGONS 



203 



Another genus, also from the lithographic slate of Bavaria, 

 namely, Scaphognathus (so called on account of its large beak 

 and jaws), had a very short tail, and its skeleton looks 

 somewhat clumsy for a creature adapted to fly through the air 

 (Fig. 73). 



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 



FIG. 73. Skeleton of ScapJiognathus crassirostris. J natural size. 



sparrow (see Fig. 74). Its neck is comparatively short, with but 

 few joints. The long slender beak was probably sheathed in 

 horn, and the skull in several ways approaches that of a bird. 

 Since there are no teeth in the jaws, we may suppose that it 

 devoured dragon-flies or other insects, such as we know were in 

 existence during the period when the lithographic stone of Bavaria 

 was being deposited. Those forms that were provided with teeth 

 probably devoured such fishes as they could catch by swooping 

 down upon the surface of the water. 



