The Cretaceous Seas 177 



University told me that if five of the most per- 

 fect fossil turtles known, were placed together 

 a couple I sent his museum, would rank 2 and 3. 

 I had occasion to photograph this splendid speci- 

 men, and had laid it on edge on a deal table. I 

 then went into a carpenter shop for assistance 

 in moving another, too heavy for me to handle. 

 When we got to the table the man helping me 

 sprang on it (as he thought he could lift the one 

 we were carrying easier), his weight was so 

 great, it bent the boards on whose further ends 

 the fine specimen was resting, and it came to 

 the floor with a crash. It was broken to pieces 

 so small it could not be saved and restored. So 

 one of these animals so perfect in all human 

 probability it will never be duplicated, was de- 

 stroyed. The loss was terrible for me." "You 

 have had some bitter experiences," said Maud, 

 tears standing in her sympathetic eyes. "Many 

 indeed, Maud," I answered. "But while we have 

 been talking our plesiosaurs have put to sea. 

 Their distant w r akes are just visible." "See, 

 papa, what a strange looking fish. What is it 

 do you suppose?" "Maud, that to me is the best 

 armored and most ferocious fish I have ever 

 known. I used to think the man-eating sharks, 

 off the Florida coast were the most blood thirsty 

 of the order, but this one is still worse. Notice 

 the head is prolonged in front into a long round 

 bony snout, or ram. On account of this I called 

 it a snout fish when I first discovered their bones 



