The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1898-01-16

rHsanroaic sossfEas rms sSrHisi0ut pisossta
Mr.. william II. Ballou writes In the
Century Magazine OF Strange Crea-
lures Of the Past" baslng his descrip'
lions with the accompanying illustro-
lions on the researches Of the late
Prof. Edward Drlnker Cope OF Phila-
delphia. lie gave many years to the
study Of the fossil or peirihed skele-
tons OF the gigantic saurians, or liz
ard-like reptiles found In various beds
OF the Rocky Mountains and other re-
gions OF the United States These in
cluded the largest and most terrible
animals that have ever inhabited the
earth, few Of them being less than 20
feet In length and many Of them
reaching 80. often with a correspond
Ing height and a weight Of tons.
The hn-back lizard was one OF the
terrible monsters Of the Permlan era
found In Texas. The skeletons 20 far
found range from three 10 ten feet in
length. II bears the name of Dimet-
rodon lnclslyus Cope The long back
splnes are often found In masses In the
rocks adhering together like sticks.
In related genus. Naosaurus claylger.
these splnes had branches giving them
the appearance OF the yard-arms OF
ships. from which may have been ex-
tended membranes enabling these an
finals 10 sail along the surface OF the
water Owing 20 the great number
OF spines. II may be- assumed that this
animal never rolled on the ground like
horse. The hnbacks and splnebacks
were flesh eaters. Their teeth were
formidable. being finely serrate ming
led with huge comic tusks. Large spines
sprang from the yertebme. and we've
often as long a. forty inches and form
ed an elevated On for defence against
some enemy not yet known. The limbs
were not long enough. nor the claws
sufficiently acute. for tree-cllmbing
/ The dlmeirodons were both water and
land animals. being able 90 walk on
| four legs.
These lizards we're remote ancestors
/ of the saurians. called dinosaurs
which inhabited the earth from the
oarbonlferous period in the Paleozolc
realm. through the entire mez0zoiC
realm. OF many millions % years. In
the latter portion Of this era theae rep
tiles reached their time Of glory; they
grew IN vast numbers and TO giganti,
proportions Some went In herds
food was most plentiful. conditions
and climate were most propltious. The
forests and jungles contained thos,
which walked ON four legs. the plain,
and fields those that ran or leaped OF
two hind legs and tail; the lakes thosl
that vaded. and swimmers which new
er yentured on shore. the ocean thos'
thai swan with great speed aud fe,
like ducks or sharks.
According 20 geological reckoning
the dinosaurs we're amongs, the high
ct types Of life on earth several mil
lion years ago. they left only occa
sl0nal tracks In the rocks. and noV
and then a pctrihed skeleton. Thes
bones. when examined. show how IN
animal must have moved about. elthe
In water or land or In air: the teet
and Jaws indicate what h. ate. wheth
or u fieEh. hsh or vegetation: hi
limbs suggest whether he Wake,
ieaped. waded or swan. u D. Interest
ing TO note the diversity OF power
which these dinosaurs possessed. In
Guiding every function given 90 divers
animals. even that " flight. Illustrate
In the related group Of pterusaur,
they were also often endowed Wit
beaks and claws like birds. but with
out the functions of Night IN genera
somc OF them resembled kangaroo.
while Others suggested the rhinocel
os and still Others correspondcd :
our notions Of mythical sea-serpenti
some Of them loaped about on Ian,
some lived near the ocean. certain Va
rietics waded only In lakes. some IL
hahlted the forests. and some wet
amphiblOus Certain types walked o
two hind limbs. balanced by the tai
and others moved squarely on lou
feet.
About $50 species Of extinct SAT
rlans have been discovered ON nj
continent. but Il Is now known "a,
they. az one time or another. inhahlte
nearly the whole globe.
one can imagine the singular Al
pcarance OF troops OF giant sauriag
perhaps standing motionlese. Z
marching OF wadlng slowly along u
waters edge. ready for a plunge 1
passing fishes or swimming reptile
In the active pursuit of land prey IN,
ran like ostrlChes or leaped like kaI
garuos Il IL believed that only ot
group Of them belonged To types whic
are necessarily marine animals. viii
many Of them were representative
the types which a. the present ia
pertain only to fresh water. Six OF q
Dlnosaurla were terrestrial. and q
structural adaptations necessary 4
swimming were wanting
Eight were croc0diles In form