CLASS OF REPTILES. 319 



Modern anatomists have called them ichthyosauri (Pig. 278) 

 and plesiosauri (Fig. 279) ; and their fossil skeletons have 

 been found entire. 



Winged reptiles also exist. The dragons (Fig. 280), ani- 

 mals resembling lizards, have a large fold of skin placed along 



Fig. 277. The Turtle (Testudo Caretta). 



the flanks, resembling the wings of the bat, but are supported 

 only by the first six false ribs extended horizontally in a 

 straight line. It uses this merely as a parachute in dropping 

 from branch to branch ; it inhabits India : thus realizing to 



Fig. 278. Ichthyosaurus. 



a certain point the flying lizards or serpents of which some 

 writers have spoken. But the dragons of naturalists attack 

 only insects. 



During the epochs of the great saurians on the earth, there 

 existed a flying reptile still more singular than the dragon. 



