Animals Before Man 



human was seriously considered by several of 

 the professors of the Yale Medical School. 



It may also be noted here that the first di- 

 nosaur to be recognized as representing quite a 

 distinct order of reptiles was the carnivorous 

 Megalosaurus, great lizard, discovered near Ox- 

 ford, England, in 1824. 



The Theropoda contains 

 not only the oldest known 

 and the smallest dinosaurs, 

 but those Avhose structure 

 most nearly resembles that 

 of birds. While the gen- 

 eral appearance of the feet 

 of many species is much 

 like that of birds, there is 

 still one important differ- 

 ence. In all birds, even the 

 early Archaeopteryx, the 

 metatarsals the bones cor- 

 responding to those in the sole of our foot- 

 unite to form one bone. The three bones are 

 separate in very young birds, and they may 

 readily be seen in the foot of a penguin. In 



168 



Foot-bones of Ornitho- 

 mimus, a dinosaur, 

 and of a young tur- 

 key. 



