﻿Ft. 
  

  

  In. 
  

  

  8 
  

  

  6 
  

  

  6 
  

  

  10 
  

  

  2 
  

  

  

  17 
  ft. 
  

  

  4 
  in 
  

  

  AND 
  AVES 
  OF 
  NORTH 
  AMERICA 
  113 
  

  

  length 
  of 
  the 
  hind 
  limb. 
  In 
  the 
  present 
  form 
  the 
  limb 
  is 
  increased 
  by 
  the 
  greater 
  length 
  

   of 
  the 
  femur 
  than 
  in 
  either, 
  but 
  is 
  shorter 
  than 
  that 
  of 
  the 
  bird 
  by 
  the 
  abbreviation 
  of 
  the 
  

   metatarsals. 
  The 
  proportions 
  would 
  then 
  remain 
  about 
  the 
  same 
  as 
  in 
  the 
  bird 
  were 
  it 
  

   not 
  that 
  a 
  larger 
  head 
  has 
  evidently 
  been 
  borne 
  upon 
  the 
  cervical 
  vertebra? 
  than 
  in 
  that 
  

   class, 
  and 
  more 
  as 
  in 
  the 
  Kangaroo. 
  It 
  appears, 
  then, 
  that 
  the 
  increased 
  length 
  of 
  the 
  

   femur 
  in 
  Laelaps 
  may 
  be 
  added 
  to 
  the 
  proportions 
  of 
  the 
  Kangaroo, 
  thus 
  giving 
  a 
  nearer 
  

   equality 
  between 
  the 
  lengths 
  of 
  the 
  hind 
  limb 
  and 
  the 
  body 
  and 
  head 
  together. 
  The 
  

   length 
  would 
  then 
  be 
  eighteen 
  feet, 
  divided 
  as 
  follows: 
  

  

  Tail, 
  

  

  Body 
  and 
  neck, 
  

  

  Head, 
  

  

  This 
  is 
  probably 
  the 
  size 
  of 
  the 
  Barnesboro 
  individual, 
  which 
  is 
  in 
  all 
  probability 
  

   young, 
  as 
  the 
  sacral 
  vertebra? 
  are 
  entirely 
  ununited. 
  The 
  phalange 
  from 
  Mississippi, 
  

   above 
  described, 
  is 
  very 
  much 
  larger 
  than 
  any 
  of 
  the 
  former, 
  and 
  may 
  have 
  belonged 
  to 
  an 
  

   adult 
  animal. 
  In 
  any 
  case 
  it 
  indicates 
  a 
  gigantic 
  reptile 
  of 
  twenty-three 
  feet 
  or 
  more 
  in 
  

   length. 
  

  

  The 
  femur 
  of 
  the 
  young 
  individual 
  is 
  as 
  long 
  as 
  that 
  described 
  by 
  Owen 
  (Palaeonto- 
  

   graphica) 
  as 
  belonging 
  to 
  Megalosaurus. 
  As 
  that 
  genus 
  was 
  probably 
  more 
  bulky 
  an- 
  

   teriorly 
  than 
  Laelaps, 
  its 
  length 
  as 
  compared 
  with 
  the 
  dimensions 
  of 
  the 
  hind 
  limb 
  is 
  

   greater. 
  If 
  however 
  it 
  approached 
  Laelaps 
  in 
  proportions 
  as 
  is 
  probable, 
  the 
  length 
  of 
  

   thirty 
  feet 
  assigned 
  to 
  it, 
  appears 
  too 
  great. 
  In 
  fact 
  it 
  can 
  hardly 
  have 
  been 
  larger 
  than 
  

   the 
  Mississippi, 
  or 
  adult 
  Laelaps 
  a 
  q 
  u 
  i 
  1 
  u 
  n 
  g 
  u 
  i 
  s. 
  

  

  Thus 
  the 
  original 
  estimate 
  of 
  the 
  lengths 
  of 
  these 
  carnivorous 
  Dinosaurs 
  is 
  still 
  further 
  

   reduced. 
  Owen 
  accomplished 
  part 
  of 
  this 
  by 
  estimating 
  on 
  the 
  mammalian, 
  and 
  rejecting 
  

   the 
  reptilian 
  type 
  ; 
  the 
  introduction 
  of 
  the 
  avine 
  element 
  places 
  the 
  proportion 
  at 
  about 
  

   the 
  proper 
  point 
  in 
  respect 
  to 
  the 
  Goniopoda 
  at 
  least. 
  

  

  The 
  elevation 
  of 
  the 
  head 
  of 
  Laelaps 
  would 
  no 
  doubt 
  depend 
  more 
  upon 
  the 
  pleasure 
  

   of 
  the 
  animal, 
  than 
  in 
  a 
  more 
  quadrupedal 
  form. 
  Nine 
  feet 
  above 
  the 
  ground 
  is 
  a 
  proba- 
  

   ble 
  estimate 
  for 
  the 
  young 
  one, 
  and 
  twelve 
  for 
  the 
  adult. 
  

  

  Movements. 
  — 
  The 
  mind 
  will 
  picture 
  to 
  itself 
  the 
  actions 
  and 
  habits 
  of 
  such 
  strange 
  mon- 
  

   sters 
  as 
  the 
  Dinosauria, 
  and 
  in 
  respect 
  to 
  some 
  of 
  the 
  genera 
  there 
  is 
  considerable 
  basis 
  for 
  

   speculation. 
  

  

  That 
  monsters 
  walking 
  on 
  two 
  posterior 
  limbs 
  have 
  inhabited 
  the 
  earth 
  has 
  been 
  

  

  AMERI. 
  PHILOSO. 
  SOC. 
  — 
  VOL. 
  XIV. 
  29 
  

  

  