220 PICTURESQUE SKETCHES 



tion in this commanding position, let us endeavour to 

 recall the scenes once enacted near some tract of low 

 flat land a sandy shore of the oolitic period on 

 which, at a distance, a few solitary palm trees stand 

 out against the blue sky, but which is backed by a 

 more luxuriant growth of pines and ferns, extending 

 towards the interior, and crowning the tops of distant 

 high ground. 



The first object that attracts attention might be one 

 of the crocodilian animals, with its long slender snout, 

 and with extremities admirably adapted for swim- 

 ming, combining those peculiarities of structure which 

 distinguish the Teleosaurus* This animal might be 

 seen moving slowly, and not without difficulty, to- 

 wards the water, but when there, darting abruptly 

 along, pursuing and devouring the small fishes that 

 swarmed about the shallows; these fishes, sluggish 

 in their nature, and chiefly feeding on the mol- 

 lusks which inhabit near shore, falling a ready and 

 abundant prey. Many other crocodilian monsters, 

 of similar habits, but more or less adapted for a 

 marine life, might also have been seen wandering 

 about seeking and devouring food. 



While, however, this was going on in the near 

 vicinity of land, our supposed position would enable 

 us to watch also the open sea at a little distance. 

 Here we could not fail being struck with that most 

 gigantic of all reptiles, the Cetiosaurus (see ante,p. 195), 

 easily recognised by the dark outline of its huge head 

 raised partly above the surface to enable the animal to 

 breathe, while at the distance of some twenty yards 



* This animal must have very closely resembled the narrow-snouted 

 garial of the Ganges, but its extremities were better adapted for swim- 

 ming. 



