DESCRIPTION OF THE FRONTISPIECE. 



{See page 444.) 



A PICTORIAL ILLUSTBATION OF THE COUNTRY OF THE IGUANODON, FROM THE 



GEOLOGICAL DISCOVERIES OF THE AUTHOR. 



BY JOHN MARTIN, ESQ. K.L. 



The mode of induction by which the geologist and comparative anatomist are 

 enabled to ascertain the form and structure of animals and plants which no longer 

 exist on the face of the earth, and even the nature of the countries which they 

 inhabited, is explained in the preceding pages. From the materials furnished by 

 the researches of the Author in the "Wealden formation of the south-east of 

 England, the eminent painter of "Belshazzar's Feast," (Mr. John Martin,) 

 composed the striking picture that forms the frontispiece of this Work. 



The data upon which the restorations are founded are described in the Fourth 

 Lecture, Part II. (see p. 360). The painting represents a country clothed with a 

 tropical vegetation, peopled by colossal reptiles, and traversed by a river, which is 

 seen to empty itself into the sea, in the distance. Oolitic rocks form the heights 

 and cliffs with which the landscape is diversified. The vegetation consists of the 

 trees and plants whose fossil remains have been discovered in Tilgate Forest, 

 namely, arborescent ferns, clathrarige, and coniferous trees; while the lesser species 

 are distributed over the foreground. 



The reptiles comprise the Iguanodon (p. 422), Hylaeosaurus (p. 435), Megalosaurus 

 (p. 421), Crocodiles (p. 415), and Turtles (p. 410). An Iguanodon attacked by a 

 Megalosaurus and Crocodile, constitute the principal group ; in the middle distance 

 an Iguanodon and Hylaeosaurus are preparing for an encounter; a solitary Ptero- 

 dactyle, or flying reptile (p. 438), with its wings partly expanded, forms a con- 

 spicuous object in the foreground; while Tortoises are seen crawling on the banks 

 of the river. Ammonites and other shells of the Portland oolite, which is the 

 foundation rock of the country, are strewn on the shore. 



