74 MIGHTY ANIMALS 



gain a very good idea of how this jaw worked. 

 Then, to make matters worse for his prey, the 

 Mosasaur had many sharp teeth. So what chance 

 of escape did any fish have when once he had been 

 captured by this sea serpent? 



Although the Mosasaur was provided with four 

 paddles, which he used in swimming, two on each 

 side of his body, his tail was the engine on which 

 he relied for speed. As he made his way with 

 lightning-like rapidity through the water, now 

 gliding straight ahead, now twisting and turning,- 

 now diving suddenly toward the bottom, then 

 rushing up again to the surface, all creatures of less 

 strength must have hastened to their hiding places. 

 Even the gigantic turtles which were living in those 

 same waters very likely made it a point to get out 

 of the way when they saw a Mosasaur headed in 

 their direction. 



And a greater panic than this must have seized 

 all these creatures when an Elasmosaur got angry 

 or started out on a search for a meal. For the 

 Elasmosaur was even longer and mightier than the 

 Mosasaur, which he closely resembled, although he 



