Fossils. 
145 
undivided. But, above all, the Mesozoic time is distin- 
guished from all others by the extraordinary develop- 
ment of reptiles. Some of the astonishing characters of 
these creatures may be guaged from the names given 
to them by grave and serious scientists. “The huge 
leader in war,” “ the huge animal giant,” “the terrible 
lizard,” etc., etc. Figures of some of these creatures of 
other days will be found in the Century Illustrated 
Magazine for November, 1897, pages 12 to 22. Pro- 
fessor Hitchcock, after studying the wonderful abun- 
dance of the remains of these creatures, writes: “Who 
would believe that such a register lay buried in the 
strata ? To open the leaves, to unroll the papyrus, 
has been an intensely interesting though difficult task, 
having all the excitement and marvellous develop- 
ments of romance. And yet the volume is only partly 
read. Many a new page, I fancy, will yet be opened, 
and many a new key obtained to the hieroglyphic 
record. I am thankful that I have been allowed to 
see so much by prying between the folded leaves. At 
first, men supposed that the strange and gigantic races 
which I described were mere creatures of imagination, 
like the Gorgons and Chimaeras of the ancient poets. 
But now that hundreds of their footprints, as fresh 
and distinct as of yesterday, impressed upon the mud, 
arrest the attention of the sceptic on the ample slabs of 
our cabinets, he might as reasonably doubt his own 
corporeal existence as that of these enormous and 
peculiar races.” 
F 
