THE FLYING REPTILES 81 



for a moment stopping his rapid flight forward. 

 This was because his neck was so flexible he could 

 twist it around until the tip of his beak pointed 

 straight toward the tip of his tail. For Ptero- 

 dactyls had tails, some of which were very long, 

 others very short, and many of medium length. 

 The long tails suddenly broadened at the end into 

 a shape like that of a leaf. This would lead one to 

 think that they were used as rudders in flying. 

 As he traveled through the air the long-tailed 

 Pterodactyl must have been an alarming sight 

 with his wicked-looking head, his wings spreading 

 out on either side of his bat-like body, and his tail 

 stretching far behind -him. 



If such a Pterodactyl was a terrifying sight 

 when flying, he must surely have been a laughable 

 one when on the land. For there seems to have 

 been no way for him to walk about except on his 

 hind legs, with his great head curved far backward 

 so as to keep his balance. If he covered the ground 

 very rapidly while in this position, he was certainly 

 more intelligent than he looked. But he probably 

 did not descend to land for the sake of running 



MIGHTY ANIMALS — 6 



