Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1897-07-16

I a
N VI : OF ninety-two YER
tebrae parts of the
skull, and arm bones, with several
teeth was found and presented to the
University of Denver. The creature
in life must have been seventy feet
long Prof. Lee of the University thus
writes of us: THE specimen is a gift
to the university from John Keegan
of Flagler. The manner in which 1t
was found Is interesting. One day a
Mexican herdsman rode into Flagler
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 as heavy
as stone. He carried a piece to the
town, and Mr.. Keegan saw that the
bones might be of scientific interest.
He drove to tho place and found about
twelve feet Of the vertebral column
lying on the ground, as 1t had lain
through countless thousands of years.
There it had been left when the rock
decayed from around it. About four
feet of the tail was still embedded in
the solid rock. This was carefully dug
out, and the whole skeleton preserved
by Mr.. Keegan, who sent it to the uni
versity. Mr.. Keegan reports that
while the specimen was in his possess
sion it was examined by several geo.
logists. From them we learn that the
bones are from the uppermost creta-
ceous formation of that region. The
place Of preservation was too near the
division between cretaceous and terti-
airy rock that they could not determine
the age. Further study, however,
shows that the reptile is cretaceous
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, dot
ted here and there with islands.
Those clumsy, overgrown monsters
which we are familiar with as in hab-
hants of the Denver region, had reach
ed their elimination, and were ready |
to pass out of existence forever as |
soon as the new conditions were inau-
gurated at the end of the age Among
these reptiles forms we find the an
cestors of the modern serpents. Dur
ing the cretaceous period the seas were
inhabited by long, snake-like reptiles,
called by Cope Pythonamorpha or
Mesasauria. He gives three genera
clidastes, platacarpus and mesasuras.
1t is in one of these genera or sea SER
penis that our monster must be placed.
1t Is difficult to locate it definitely. be-
cause so many of the characteristic
parts are destroyed I sent some OF
the bones to the Department of the
National Geological Survey at Wash
lngton, ID. c., and received word that
the specimen is probably clidastes. al
though the jaw is more massive and
the teeth more compressed than in the
only specimens we have. l think that
you probably have one of the most
yertebral columns of this
group of marine reptiles in existence.
The tail is particularly fine. and gives
me much better impression of the
lepth and compression of this part OF
he body. After careful examination
If the published descriptions l was
ed TO the opinion that the species has
lot been described heretofore
IF one can imagine long, slender
eptle. sometimes seventy feet in
ength. not quite so lender as the mod
I'm serpent, and having two pairs of
hort. paddle-like feet. one will have
fairly good idea of this class of rep
lies. They were great sea serpents
nd We're covered with bony scales. as
'rof. Marsh has shown. l have re-
erred to them as the ancestors of
makes; the form of the body was very
and the long jaw shows
Mechanism similar to that of serpents
ihich makes 1t possible to swallow the '
God whole. Their habits seem to
ave been serpent-lilIe, and they lived
uring the age Immediately preceding 4
he introduction of true snakes. 1t is \
Il easy step from an animal like cid
stes to the modern serpent.
fwe
Ra.Iur.H Raxauua q.