OF CREATION. 179 



the food which they devoured, and yet, knowing with 

 absolute certainty these points, we hardly dare draw 

 the conclusions which are suggested. 



But I will venture to carry out the idea, and fill up 

 in yet greater detail a sketch of the condition of the 

 sea and its inhabitants during this portion of the rep- 

 tilian epoch. 



There were then perhaps existing on or near the 

 land some of those reptiles which I shall describe in 

 the next chapter ; and with them were associated some 

 true crocodilians, not much unlike the fresh- water 

 garial inhabiting the Ganges. These, perhaps, might 

 occasionally swim out to sea, and be found in the 

 neighbouring shoals. 



But these shoals were alive with myriads of inver- 

 tebrated animals; and crowds of sharks hovered about, 

 feeding upon the larger forms. There were also nu- 

 merous other animals, belonging to those remark- 

 able groups which I have attempted to describe in 

 some detail. Imagine then one of these monstrous 

 animals, a Plesiosaurus, some sixteen or twenty feet 

 long, with a small wedge-shaped crocodilian head, a 

 long arched serpent-like neck, a short compact body, 

 provided with four large and powerful paddles, almost 

 developed into hands ; an animal not covered with 

 brilliant scales, but with a black slimy skin. Imagine 

 for a moment this creature slowly emerging from the 

 muddy banks, and half walking, half creeping along, 

 making its way towards the nearest water. Arrived 

 at the water, we can understand from its structure 

 that it was likely to exhibit greater energy. Unlike 

 the crocodile tribe, however, in all its proportions, it 

 must have been equally dissimilar in habit. Perhaps, 



