12 The Bird 
plete the work, meanwhile adding our own mite of truth- 
ful observation to swell the whole, and help prepare the 
way for this other. For even Darwin’s theory of evolu- 
tion was but the consummation of theories of former 
years and centuries,—beginning with Thales and Anaxi- 
mander, in the days of early Grecian civilization: in- 
deed Aristotle, coming but two hundred years later, is 
the only name in the history of zoology worthy of a 
place with that of Darwin. 
From the fragmentary evidence afforded by Archeop- 
teryx we may conclude that this Bird of Old had a short, 
blunt, skinny bill of moderate size, furnished with teeth 
which would enable the owner to feed upon Jurassic 
berries and fruit, or more probably a carnivorous diet of 
lizards and insects. Its wings were weak, hinting that 
it was a flutterer rather than a true flyer, perhaps only 
sealing hke a flying squirrel from the summit of one 
tree to the base of the next. Even this would give it 
an immense advantage over its terrestrial and arboreal 
non-flying enemies. The three free fingers on each wing 
would allow it to climb easily, to pry into crevices for 
insects, or to draw a_berry-laden branch close to its 
bill. 
Doubtless it frequently walked or ran on all fours, the 
more probably from its weak-loined condition,—the bones 
of the thigh-girdle not being fused together as in modern 
birds. Its tail has already been mentioned—a_ long 
double-feathered appendage, composed of a score of 
little vertebrae jointed together,—as we will later see 
the true forerunner of the modern fan-like tails. Its 
