\'E i;t eb hate an im ai„s. 



KXTINCT ORDKIW OF llEPTILKS. 



<_)UDKR A'. IclITIIYoPTERYfilA. 



Tn tliis order are iiifluded 

 all extinct, and are eliarac 

 especially of the toriiiatioii 

 tliey are distinguislied lia\e 

 be no doubt tliat tliej- wei-e 

 like, without any dislinct 

 (amphicmloiis), and tlie spi 

 so characteristic ol the trii 

 njing-parhlles, ami it is jirol 



Much has been gathered t 

 osffAtri, and their history is 

 lT;ical recoril, Tljat they e 



a nnniber of gigantic fishdihe Reptiles, which are 



■teristie of the Secondary period of geology, an.;! 



known as the Lias. Tlie chief characters by which 



reference to their purel)' aquatic life, for there can 



inliabitajits of the sea. Thus the body was fi.sli- 



ncclv. U'he vcrtehrie were hollow at both ends 



I' thus jiossessed the flexibility and power of motion 



Fishi's. The limbs also constituted powerful swini- 



lile tliat there "was a vertical tail-fin. 



un varions sources as to the haliits of the IcJUhij- 



nie ot' tlie most interesting chajiters in the geo- 



■liiclle kept to o}.eu seas may be inferred from their 



Fig. I:l8.-Skilll of ;r7iH,:/ns,fir,-if.q, showin,!; tile sclemtii'. iil;ites. 



strong and well-deve]o])ed swininnng ajiparatus ; but the presence of a powerful 

 bony arch supporting tlie fnredimlis proves that they must occasionally have 

 betaken themselves to tlie land. Tliat they were tenants of stormy waters, or 

 were in the liaiiit of diving in searidi of prey, has been inferred from the fact 

 that the eyeball is ]irotccted IVom pressure liy a ring of bony jilates. Tliat 

 lliey possessed ;_Tcat ]io\\ers (if vision, especially in the dnsk, seems to be 

 rendered certain b'Miu the size of the piupil and the enormous width of the 

 bony ca\itii.'s (orbits) which cimtained the eyes. Lastly, that they were car- 

 ni\orons ajid ]iiedace(ins in the highest degree is .shown by their wide mouths, 

 long jaws, iilid Jiiiiiici-uiis ]M.wcrlu] and pointed tectli. Tliis is also iiro\-ed by 

 an cxiiniinaf inn oftlicir piiriiicd diM|i]iiiigs, ^\■llicll are known as " cnjirolites," 

 ;iMd wliich criiitsiii in ;il ill ndniire nmligesEed I'ragnients of lislii's and other 

 marine animals. 



<)iii)|.',n \\, ;;.\i:ri);'TE1iV(;i.v. 



Tlie Ri-ptiles belonging to tliis order a-ree with tlie last in being all extinct, 

 and ill being rnnlined to the Secniid;iiy pciiod of geology. Tlie best known 

 an-tlic /■/,x,„.K,ni,i, which resembled the /cA//, //,«,<»,■/ in liaving all the liml.3 

 romrrled iiito s w i 1 1 1 u 1 i lig- p.'i 1 1 d Ics . biit dilfcrcd ill several ivsiiects, of which tin) 

 most oloioM, is tlie gre.it elnliealioii of the neck (lig. lil'.l). The Plrxkmiir 



