The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-05-09
A FOSSIL SEA SERPENT.
Remains of an Ancient Saurian
Found in Colorado.
From the Denver Republican.

From the Denver Republican.
The University of Denver has come into
possession of a very interesting FOSSIL 1t
is an ancient reptile. The parts preserved
are in an almost complete vertebral col
umn, about sixteen feet long and contain
ing ninety vertebrate, portions of the head
and few OF the arm bones. Several teeth
are In almost perfect condition. Nearly
all the bones are well petrified, but some
retain a nalf-bOny structure. Prof Lee
of the university thus writes about IT,
THE specimen is a gift to the university
from John Keegan of Flagler. The man
ner in which 1t was found is interesting
One day a Mexican herder rode into Flag
Ter and reported that his horse stumbled
and fell over a long string of bones. The
man picked up one of the bones and was
surprised to find it heavy as stone. lie
carried piece to the town, and Mr.. Kee-
gan saw that the bones might be Of
scientific interest. He drove to the place
and found about twelve feet of the vertc-
bral column lying on the ground as II had
lain through countless thousands of years.
There 1t had been left when the rock de-
cayed from around it, About four feet Of
the tail was still imbeGded in the solid
rock. This was carefully dug out and
the whole skeleton preserved by Mr.. Kee-
gan, who sent IL to the university, where
his son became interested in the study OF
geology.
Mr.. Keegan reports that while the
specimen was in his possession IL was
examined by several biologists. From
them we learn that the bones are from the
uppermost cretaceous formation OF that
region. The place Of preservation was so
near the division between the cretaceous
and tertiary rock that they could not de-
termine the age definitely. Further study,
.. hot A.
taceous form.
During the cretaceous time, not only
the greater part OF Colorado. but the
greater part of the western half of the
continent was a shallow sea, dotted here
and there with islands. The age Of rep
tiles was nearing its close. Those clum-
sy, overgrown monsters which we are ia
mi.iar with as inhabitants OF the Denver
region had reached their elimination and
were ready to pass out Of existence for
ever as soon as the new conditions were in
augurated at the end Of the age. Among
these reptile forms we find the ancestors
of the modern serpents. During the ere
taceous period the seas were inhabited by
long, snalSelike reptiles called by Cope
Pythonnmorpha or Mosasauria. He gives
three genera--clidastes platecarpus, and
mesasauras. II Is IN one OF these genera
Of sea serpents that our monster must
be placed. II is difiiculr TO locate It def
nitely, because so many Of the character
istc parts are destroyed.
Il sent some Of the bones 10 the depart
ment Of the National Geological Survey
at Washington, ID. c., and received word
that the specimen is probably a c.ldastes,
although the jaw Is more massive and the
teeth are more compressed than In the only
specimens we have. I think that you
probably have one Of the most complete
vertebral columns OF this group Of marine
reptiles IN existence. Tho tail Is partic-
ularly fine and gives me a much better
impression OF the depth and compression
Of this part Of the body After careful
examination OF the published descriptions
/ was led 10 the opinion that the species
has not been described heretofore.
"ff one can imagine a long, slender rep
tile, sometimes 20 feet In length. not quite
as slender as the modern serpent and
having two pairs OF short. paddlellke feet,
one will have a fairly good idea Of this
c.ass OF reptiles. They were great sea
serpents and were covered with bony
scales. as Prof. Marsh has shown. /
have referred TO them as the ancestors OF
snakes: the form OF the body was very
snakelike and the long jaw shows a mech
anlsm similar 10 that OF serpents which
makes a possible 10 swallow the food
whole. Their habits seem 10 have been
serpentiilge and they lived during the age
Immediately preceding the Introduction Of
true snakes. II Is an easy step from an
animai-iike clidastes 10 the mordern SIR
pent Just drop or his limbs or make
them rudlmentary and make the body a
little. more slender and the change -
complete"