338 HISTORICAL GEOLOGY. 



the feathers, and the minute structure of tho feathers of 

 the wings and tail, preserved. An undoubted bird, yet 



FIG. 287. Restoration of Rhamphorhynchus phyllurus. (After Marsh.) 

 One seventh natural size. 



how different from modern birds ! Instead of the short, 

 aborted tail, bearing feathers radiating almost from one 

 point, as in all modern birds, it had a long reptilian tail 

 with twenty-one joints, and the feathers given off in pairs 

 on the two sides of each joint. Among many other rep- 

 tilian characters are the possession of socketed teeth, and, 

 instead of the hand being wholly consolidated to form the 

 wing, as in modern birds, the three fingers remain free, 

 and are armed with claws (Fig. 288). 



Another fine specimen of this wonderful bird was 

 found, in 1873, in the same locality, and is now in the 

 Berlin Museum. In the Jurassic dinosaurs and this 

 Jurassic bird we have excellent examples of what we 

 have called generalized or connecting types. These two 

 branches reptile and bird which seem so widely dis- 

 tinct now, when traced backward in time, approach more 

 and more, until we find almost their point of union. 



Mammals. We have already stated, on page 328, that a 

 few small marsupial mammals are found in the uppermost 

 Triassic, both of Europe and the United States. These 

 we regarded as anticipations, and therefore put off their 



