U2 



MESOZOIC ERA— AGE OF REPTILES. 



the Compsognatlms a reptile of smaller size, but of most extraordinary 

 bird-like character, viz., small head, long, flexible neck, large and long 



Fig. 694.— Head of Megalosaurus. x ^j (restored by Phillips). 



hind-leg, and small and short fore-leg. From its structure, it must 

 have walked habitually on its hind-legs alone (Fig. 697). 



3. Pterosaurs. — These flying reptiles were certainly among the most 



extraordinary animals that 

 have ever existed. The or- 

 der includes several genera, 

 but we will describe only 

 the best known, viz., the 

 Pterodactyl (wing-finger), 

 and the Khamphorhynchus 

 (beak-snout). 



The Pterodactyl (Fig. 

 698) combined the short, 

 compact body ; 

 the strong shoul- 

 der-girdle, firmly 

 united with the 

 keeled sternum ; 



Fig. 695. — Restoration of Scelidosaur. 



the short, aborted tail; the long, flexible neck, and hollow, air-filled 

 limb-bones, characteristic of birds — with the head, and jaws, and teeth, 

 of a reptile, and the membranous wings of a bat. In the bat, however, 

 the membrane is supported by four fingers, enormously elongated for 

 the purpose, and only one finger is free and clawed ; while in the Ptero- 



