New-York tribune., 1881-12-25
TIE FOSSIL SEA-SERPENT.
I'M SETTLERS OF MONMOUTH COUNTY.

OLD SETTLERS OF MONMOUTH COUNTY
PROFESSOR LOCKWOOD on RIPnLEs N GENERAL
AND THE MARLBORO MONSTER IN PARTICULAR
The announcement that bones OF some gigantic
reptile have been dug ont of Monmouth County
mari PIT is never "A startling one. ms Is classic
ground for the pal.eontOloglst and an active man
with shovel is never certain that he isn't disturb
ing the remains OF some monster no once made the
old cretaceOus boil like pot. hese mari beds
are dep sts of that ancient which rolled over 80
much of this continent, sweeping from New-Jersey
to Texas and up the Red River Valley TO the Hanks
of the Rocky Mountains. The mari derives It's
value as a fertilizer mainly from the one, two or
three per cent of phOsphorc aCd winch II contains,
and the phosphorus is mauiiesty derived from the
phOsphal of lime IN the bones when were hurlcd IN
this spacious cemetery. The New-Jersey end Of this
graveyard has been worked longer than any other
area and the remains of the various reptiles found
here are constantly referred TO for comparison III
works on palgOnt0logy. Extensive dlscoNcrlcs III
the West have been more recently maze, buL the',
old settlers of Monmouth County were able 70 hold
their own AGAINST any dragon of the prime IN tins
ace when the race Of reptiles reached its cuniua-
ton. The different orders OF these sauriaus have
been pretty thoroughly studied aud CLASSIFIED. but
there Is always a Possi"iliY oi cNhumlhs some
new species. and therefore when Il was announced
last week that q scd-Sefpent With an equipment OF
tusks had been discovered IN Marlboro a represent
atIvc Of The 1RBUNE called upon Professor
Samuel LOGS RwUod, of Freehold, 10 ascertain what
the find really was.
Professor Lockwood, who is a fellow Of half
dozen learned societies, and recognized authority
To the amateur scientist who decorated the old ser
p,nt with tusks, a kind OF furniture which only
belonged 10 mammals OF the more advanced type
aud Of a more recent age. Nevertheless tins MARI
boro reptile was aa interesting object 20 get away
from when alive and squlrnlng. lie was between
70 and 50 feet IN length. about one-thrd ot hl7
Longitude being broad, ilatlsA tail constructed of
che Vron-s shaped homes, 80 "a, 10 make IL NLuabe
engine of tfopul~lou when used a. a scull. The
data furnished by tho relics would imply that be-
tween the tip of his mulzlcand tine back OF his head
was distance oi four OF five feet. IL Is possible
that the specimen belongs 10 some undescrbcd
species but perhaps the remains are TOO imperfect
t. decide this. IL - certain, however, That IT. be
long, to the genus Chdast,-, many species OF which
have been determined, and which have been abuu-
dantly found I'D the West. tuda-ics was an Ow1
cousin TO the MusaSdu!us or thc great lizard of the
River Mcuse described by tuvier. The European
reptile, however, was of more chunky build, with
shorter head and neck ana stronger Java Both be
longcd to the order of PythOnomorphs, or snake
ike saIIiaps, which were the genuine sea-scrpcnts
The most wonderful fact in connection with these
Monmouth marls that they contain representa-
lives OF 30 many distinct orders ut animal life which
are now, with all the countless species they
bTaced, absolutely extinct. lhls was the age of
the glorious ALmDnlte-, not one OF which has sur
yived and of the Nautil. Of which bat two species
are found IN modern seas. OF the SIX great orders
of ReptIlans representatives OF but two survive,
so destructive to animal life was the emcTgcnce OF
continents and the change O climate ht The close oi
the taceOus era. OF the reptiles, the order
occupying the highest rank was the Dinosaurs,
who we'll deserved the cpithct "tcrrIblev Pro-
of "a colossal specimen of the order in "a clay bank
by Raritan Bay. This monster walked about with
out a cane on his hnd-eys, which were 10 feet
long. In attitude aud construction tnis order was
prophetic of the coming ostrich. Next IN rank we're
the PterOsaurlo, or lying lizards, the expanded
wings of some OF these pleasant creatures mrasur-
ing - feet from tip To tip. Below these came the
CrOcOdiIa, resembling our allgatOrs, and cnrassed
with hOuy plates. According TO modern classca-
ton another order, the SaurOEtcrygla came before
tho Tcstudlnata, or turtles, with which the Jersey
waters and shores were populons. In this very
Marlboro pit Professor Lockwood once found the
remains of SlcsozOlc swapping turtle with shell
as big as a cart wheel aud 30 strong that q battery
OF artillery il such thing can be imagined exist
inc in those days might have been driven over it
without Disturbing the creature under the dome.
Lowest Of all were the fyth0nomorphs, to which
our serpent belonged. and which had features fore
shadOwing the snakes OF our time.
All high-class snakes are particular about swal-
loving their food whole, anu since they amhi-
tious TO surround animals whose diameter is twice
as great as their own, they need o special pTOvl-
sion TO give hOspitabl" admission H. big mounful
without unJOInting their jaws. Ih"y have there
fore been provided with % hinge IN the bone on
e,thrr side of the upper Jaw, so that after they open
Their months wide as possible they can spring the
jaw upward at this extra Joint, and make still
more TOOmy passage. Oar Monmouth serpent had
double jontcd jaw Of this dilatable pattern.
Ag1n after q snake has seized ms living prey, 10
would be embarrassing for MN 10 open his mouth
to take a more comprehensive hold. lor a dsObging
animal would take advantage of the opportunity to
retire. TO guard against such an accident, the
snake is equipped with smaller, supernumerary
prey to detain it while he takes fresh hitch Our
Monmouth serpent was furnished with this extra
grupuel jaw to aid him IN the process OF ngestiOn,
so that his general maXilary makeup plainly
shows what he took for dinner and how he took lt.
thick, frshy tongue would hardly be tolerated in
n month where spIcousncss was prime necessity.
and reasoning from analogy, we may assume that
this member slender II ls IN true snakes, and
capable Ol being neatly tucked away in rayity of
The lower jaw. When Professor Lockwood pic
lures the reptile therefore, he represents him as
pioughing through the sea with his head lifted
high above the waves and bTandishIng Il Vi
ciOus-lOokiug bdurCated and cOId-hke tongue.
lie was probably not highly Intellectual ~ his
brain-casc comparatively small, and the cpl
thet -patrd could be literally applied TO him
for the forward part OF his head not ussied.
His mpeiling force mainly furnished by the tail, was
increased by four paddles the upper bones of which
were short and of immense strength, and perhaps
concealed III his side leaving exposed only tbs long
hands and feet. The ankles and wrists. however.
had no rotary movement, that the paddles could
move only ~ one plano. Undoubtedly he had bask-
ing habits and when gutted with his prey he
would retire 10 some shallow lagoon and snOOze in
the warm water with his head turned tO oue side
and hIs tail aitectlOnately enclrcliug ii.
It is said that Professor Cook, of Rutgers College
has secured the refusal of this specimen. The SER
pent will require much reconstruction and TestUra-
ton If he is u make anything like "A credItabe ex-
hbtion of himself, for his remains are very incom
pete and fragmentary. If properly restored"
roomy cabinet would be needed TO contain him.