ANIMALS OF LONG AGO 347 



occasion they could crawl on the shores. Being air-breathers, 

 possessing lungs, they would need to appear often on the water's 

 surface. Their large eyes indicated sharp vision, and their jaws, 

 armed with sharp teeth, a predatory habit. The eyes were protected 

 by circular bony plates. The probability is that they were vivi- 

 parous, giving birth to their young in an active condition, not laying 

 eggs. They would present an appearance somewhat similar to that 

 of a Grampus. 



PLESIOSATJES. — Mention must also be made of the Plesiosaurs 

 (literally, near to reptiles) — small-headed, small-brained, long- 

 necked Sea-Lizards. They attained a size equal to that of the 

 Ichthyosaurs. The body of the Plesiosaurus has been likened to the 

 hull of a submarine. The creature had four paddles with a leg-like 

 structure; it had strong jaws in which many pointed teeth were set. 

 It revelled in the sea, probably not venturing to great depths, but 

 haunting the shores; its long neck would enable it to reach out to 

 small animals on the shore and secure them for food without leaving 

 the water. It would propel itself through the water principally by 

 means of its paddles, for its tail was comparatively short, and 

 nothing like so powerful as that of the Ichthyosaurus. The paddles, 

 on the other hand, were well developed and reached out from the 

 body like great oars. 



TELEOSAUEUS AND PTERODACTYLE.— Plate XIV represents two 

 curious creatures of Mesozoic age, the Teleosaurus and the Ptero- 

 dactyle. The Teleosaurus (meaning complete reptile) was similar to 

 the modern Crocodile; some species were at least thirty-three feet 

 long, the head being no less than three feet in length. The species 

 known as Teleosaurus cadomensis was armoured with two cuirass- 

 like arrangements, one on the back and the other beneath its belly. 

 It had terrible jaws, opening to the extent of six feet, and could 

 provide doubtful hospitality for animals of considerable proportions. 

 The Pterodactyles (Greek, fteron, wing; dactylos, finger) were, as 

 the illustration suggests, winged reptiles, and had we lived in their 

 day, the larger species might well have inspired us with terror. 

 It takes a little time to get our minds accustomed to the idea of 

 flying reptiles, as such creatures are foreign to our experience. How 

 these reptiles acquired the power of flight is a difficult story to relate, 

 or rather, riddle to interpret. The struggle for the means of exist- 

 ence must have been very keen among the reptiles of Mesozoic 

 times; certain species may have taken to trees and cliffs to secure 



