BIG ANIMALS 251 



BIG ANIMALS 



* The Atlantosaurus,' said I, pointing affectionately with a 

 wave of my left hand to all t}iat was immortal of that ex- 

 tinct reptile, * is estimated to have had a total length of one 

 hundred feet, and was probably the very biggest lizard that 

 ever lived, even in Western America, where his earthly 

 remains were first disinhumed by an enthusiastic explorer.' 



* Yes, yes,' my friend answered abstractedly. * Of 

 course, of course ; things were all so very big in those 

 days, you know, my dear fellow.' 



' Excuse me,' I replied with polite incredulity ; * I really 

 don't know to what particular period of time the phrase 

 ** in those days " may be supposed precisely to refer.' 



My friend shufiled inside his coat a little uneasily. (I 

 will admit that I was taking a mean advantage of him. 

 The professorial lecture in private life, especially when 

 followed by a strict examination, is quite undeniably a most 

 intolerable nuisance.) * Well,' he said, in a crusty voice, 

 after a moment's hesitation, * I mean, you know, in geo- 

 logical times . . . well, there, my dear fellow, things used 

 all to be so very big in those days, usedn't they '? ' 



I took compassion upon him and let him off easily. 



* You've had enough of the museum,' I said with mag- 

 nanimous self-denial. ' The Atlantosaurus has broken the 

 camel's back. Let's go and have a quiet cigarette iu the 

 park outside.' 



17 



