1 30 ANIMAL LIFE PAST AND PRESENT. 



see the lower end of the leg-bone of the Mega- 

 losaur with the huckle-bone closely applied to it, and 

 probably immovably united thereto 

 during life by cartilage. This con- 

 dition is, indeed, precisely similar 

 to that which exists in the young 

 fowl ; and thus, we have, so to 

 speak, displayed before us the 

 actual manner in which the leg of 

 a reptile has become converted into 



FIG. 38. The lower end of 



the leg-bone of Megaio- that of a bird, the young bird 



saur, with the huckle- . " 



bone attached to it. carrying with it the history ot its 

 origin fully apparent to all who 

 will but read Nature's secrets aright. When, however, 

 we make this statement we by no means intend to 

 imply that the Megalosaur or any of its immediate 

 kindred were the direct ancestors of birds, but only 

 that they were more or less closely allied to such 

 unknown ancestral types. 



There are almost equally remarkable resemblances 

 in the structure of other parts of the leg of the 

 Megalosaur to that of birds, but the feature indicated 

 is amply sufficient for our present purpose. 



The group of which the Megalosaur is our typical 

 example is a large one, and contains some species with 

 a thigh-bone upwards of a yard in length, down to 

 tiny little creatures scarcely as large as a rabbit. 

 These reptiles were widely spread over nearly the 

 whole globe ; their remains having been obtained from 

 the Secondary rocks of Europe, India, South Africa, 



