DRAGONS OF THE DEEP. 195 



of moderate size. The fingers, indeed, might be 

 described as short. The head was small, and 

 the neck and tail only moderately long, the 

 length of each being, roughly, about the same 

 as that of the trunk. Judging by what are 

 known as the transverse processes of the base 

 of the tail, this organ was much used in swim- 

 ming. The typical species (Lariosaurus lalsami\ 

 is known by nearly complete skeletons from the 

 Triassic shales of Pelerdo, on the shores of Lake 

 Como. 



From this we must pass, with a jump, to the 



FIG. 16. Outline restoration of an extinct long-necked Sea-dragon 

 (Plesiosaurus). 



well-known Plesiosaurus, whose remains have 

 been found in comparative abundance in the 

 Lias limestone of England. If size alone can 

 qualify for the distinction of dragonhood, then 

 the Plesiosaurus number, in their ranks, some 

 undoubted dragons, the largest species being 

 nearly forty feet long. Monsters of this size, how- 

 ever, do not appear till late in the history of this 

 group, the culmination being reached in the 

 chalk period, as is shown by remains found both 

 in Europe and North America. 



Compared with the Lariosaurus the Plesio 

 saurs and their allies will be found to have 



