68 
HAROLD’S DISCUSSIONS. 
and wing-sliaped. It is difficult to see whether it is 
reptile or bird. It looks as if a reptile were in the 
Fig. 37.—Pterodactyl. 
process of changing into a bird and had not got over 
half-way through it. It is named pterodactyl, which 
is wing-finger in English. 
Another animal existed in those days that seems 
to have been a greater success as a bird: the archa 3 - 
opteryx (first bird); at least it had feathers, as may 
be seen from the 
fossil found in 
Germany. 
JN^either 
of these 
creatures 
can be 
considered 
as perfect 
birds j far from it. The archaBopteryx 
was probably able to fiy in the air clumsily, as 
our bats do, but the pterodactyl could fiy only 
in a downward direction like the flying squirrels. 
Through the surging waters of this age glided a 
long animal of graceful shape. Its round body was 
furnished with four short legs with flapped feet, by 
means of which it pushed its way through the waves. 
Fig. 38.—Archjeopteryx 
(restored), a toothed 
birdlike lizard. 
