BIRDS WITH TEETH. 57 



the bird. It had been supposed to be tlie beak of 

 Archaeopteryx, but " great was iny surprise," writes 

 Mr. Evans, " when I detected along its right-hand 

 margin, towards the apex, the distinct impression in 

 the slab of four teeth, still attached to it. The teeth 

 themselves remain adhering to the counterpart, and 

 are easily recognised by the lustre of their enamel." 

 The teeth are thus described by Mr. Woodward : 

 " The three which remain in a vertical position with 

 regard to the jaw are about one-tenth of an inch long, 

 and at intervals of about one-fifth of an inch. They 

 consist of a slightly tapering, flattened, enamelled 

 crown, about a twenty-fifth of an inch in width, and 

 obtusely pointed, set upon what is apparently a more 

 bony base, which widens out suddenly into a semi- 

 elliptical form, so that at the line of attachment to the 

 jaw the base of one tooth comes in contact with that 

 of the next. So sudden and extensive is this widening 

 of the base, that at first it gave me the impression 

 that the teeth were tricuspidate, with the middle cusp 

 far longer than the others. The front tooth of the four, 

 which slopes forward from the rest, and is rather smaller 

 than the others, shows little, if any, similar enlargement 

 of its base. Of the fifth, which lies across the base 

 of the foremost of the four, only a part is visible. 

 There appears to be a well - defined line at the 

 base of the teeth along their junction with the jaw, 

 but I can offer no opinion as to the method of their 

 attachment." 



It seemed so unlikely when the above description 



