202 
EXTINCT MONSTERS 
have been a certain bone belonging to the skull, known as the 
quadrate bone. 
Pterodactylus macronyx, or, as it is now called, Dimorpbodon 
macronyx (Fig. 72), was about the size of a raven. It was dis- 
covered in 1828 by the late Miss Mary Anning, the well-known 
collector of fossils from the Liassic rocks that form the cliffs along 
the coast of Dorsetshire, near Lyme Eegis. This important speci- 
men was figured and described by Dr. Buckland, in the Trans- 
actions of the Geological Society. He suggested the specific name 
macronyx on account of the great length of the claws. 
This authority pointed out an unusual provision for giving 
Fig. 72. — Skeleton of Dimorpliodon macronyx. (After Owen.) 
support and power of movement to the large head at the extremity 
of a rather long neck, namely, the occurrence of fine l(mg tendons 
running parallel to the neck-vertebrse. This does not occur in 
any modern lizards, whose necks are short, and require no such 
aid to support the head. The restoration of the skeleton seen in 
the figure is by Professor Owen. It is probable that this Ptero- 
dactyl could walk on the ground with its wings folded, and 
perhaps it was also capable of perching on trees, by clinging on to 
their branches with its feet and toes. When the flying membrane 
was stretched out it must, on account of the long tail to which it 
was also attached, have presented a triangular shape, somewhat 
like a boy’s kite. 
