CONCLUSION. 



525 



Several species of rhinoceros have been found in thi> horizon, and all 

 appear to have been destitute of horns. The skull of one of the mosl 

 abundaol species is represented in fig. 102 



Above this horizon, the Equus beds and the Quaternary contain many 

 vertebrate fossils of interest, all closelj allied to the fauna of to-day. 



r- 





Skallul icerath ■ One Bftti da 



■ ■ ■ 

 pital. 



PART V. 



CONCLUSION. 



To this short review of the typical vertebrate fossils of the Denver 

 region a few words may be added about the condition.-, under which these 

 various animals lived and died. Nearly all those here discussed were 

 essentially land animals, but not a few of them, especially of the Reptilia, 

 lived near the water, and there met their fate. The preservation of their 

 remains was probably, without exception, due to their entombment beneath 

 the waters of the great fresh-water Likes which existed in tin.- region during 

 Mesozoic and < lenozoic time. 



The climatic conditions under which they lived are clearly indicated 

 \>\ the animals themselves. '1 lie gigantic herbivorous dinosaurs of the 

 Jurassic \\<v<- denizens of ;i tropical climate, in which rank vegetation sup- 

 plied them with food and served to protect them from their carnivorous 

 enemies. This climate was clearly n feature of the whole of Jurassic time, 

 and especially characteristic of the zenith of tin- reptilian age. 



