FISH-LIZARDS. 85 



knob-like surfaces on the side of the body of each 

 vertebra, as shown in Fig. 24. 



Some of the species of Fish-Lizards attained a length 

 of from thirty to forty feet, and were thus truly Levia- 

 thans of the deep. 



The result, then, of our survey of the chief structural 

 peculiarities of these extinct saurians is to show that 

 they were Whale-like marine reptiles of carnivorous 

 habits, with a naked body, provided with four paddles, 



FIG. 24. Side and end views of the body of one of the segments of the back-bone 

 of a small Fish-Lizard, a, b, Surfaces for the attachment of the rib. 



and probably with a tail fin, and that they had fish- 

 like vertebra*, and a long, toothed beak to the skull. 

 In certain American representatives of the group the 

 jaws were, however, totally unprovided with teeth ; 

 and in these and allied types from the Oolites of 

 England a third bone articulated with the bone of the 

 upper-arm (hu of Fig. 23), thus making the structure of 

 the paddle still more peculiar. How these toothless 

 Fish-Lizards captured and held their prey is not very 



