The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1898-01-14

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Mr.. william II. Ballou writes In the
Century Magazine Of Strange Crea-
lures Of the Past" basing his descrip-
lions with the accompanying lllustra-
lions on the researches Of the late
Prof. Edward Drinkcr Cope OF Phila-
delphia. He gave many years TO the
study OF the fossil or petrihed 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 %
feet In length. and many Of them
reaching 50. often with a correspond
Ing height and a weight Of tons.
The fn-back lizard was one OF the
terrible monsters OF the Permian era
found In Texas. The skeletons 80 far
found range from three 10 ten feet ~
length. II bears the name OF Dimet-
rodon inclslyus Cope The long back
spinos are often found In masses In the
rocks, adhering together like sticks.
In related genus. Naosaurns elayiger
these spines had braEches. giving them
| the appearance Of the yard-arms OF
ships. from which may have been eN-
tended membranes enabling these an
imals TO sail along the surface Of the
water Owing 20 the great number
Of spines. h may be- assumed that this
animal never rolled on the ground IKE
a horse. The nnbacks and spinebacks
were flesh eaters. Their teeth we're
formidable. being finely serrate ming
led with huge comic tusks Large spines
Epmng from the yertebrae. and were
often as long AZ forty inches and form
ed an elevated m for defence against
some enemy ROT yet known. The limbs
were not long enough. nor the claws
sufficiently acute for tree-climhlng
The dlmeirodons were both water and
land animals. being able 10 walk ou
four legs
These lizards were remote ancestor.
of the saurians. called dinosaurs
which inhabited the earth from th'
carboniferous period in the paleozoi,
realm. through the entire mezozoi'
realm. or many millions OF years II
the latter portion Of this era these rep
tiles reached their time Of glory. thel
grew in vast numbers and 10 gigantic
proportions. Some went In herds
food was most plentiful: conditions
and climate were most propitious. tn
forests and jungles contained thoa
which walked on four legs; the plain
and Fields those that ran or leaped Of
tVo hind legs and tail. the lakes thos
that waded. and swimmers which new
81 yentured on shore: the nceah thos
that swan with great speed and re'
like ducks or sharks.
According to geological reckoning
the dinosaurs were amongst the hiEh
est types Of life on earth several mi
lion years ago: they left only Oocl
slonai tracks In the rocks. and no.
and then a pctrihed skeleton. Thes
ZONES. when examined. show how n
animal must have moved about. eth,
In water or land or In air: the teei
and Jaws indicate what h. ate. wheil
er % flesh. hsh or vegetation: h
limbs suggest whether be- Wake
leapcd. wadcd OF swan u Is lnteres
ing 10 note the diversity 81 pOwei
which these dinosaurs possessed. II
Guiding every function given 10 diver
d animals, even that u flight illustrate
In the related group 81 pierosaur
they we're also often endowed Wit
beaks and claws like birds. but will
, out the functions of fight In gencu
some Of them resemhied kangaroo
b while Others suggested the rhlnoce
os and stlll Others corresponded
? our notions % mythical soa-scrpent
b some OF them leapcd about on Ian
{ some lived near the ocean. certain VI
] rieties wadod only In lakes. some h
) hahlied the forests. and some We
! amphlbious. Certain types walked q
, two hind limbs. balanced by the IA
- and others moved squarely on TOT
. feet.
% About $50 species 81 extinct al
. rlans have been discovered on IN
!. continent. hut Il Il now known III
3 they, az one time or another. inhablt'
= nearly the whole globe.
d one can imagine the singular a
2 pearance Of troops OF giant saurla
b perhaps standing motlonlesa.
J. marching or wading slowly along Il
= waters edge. ready Tor a plunge
r passing fishes or swimming reptll,
= In the active pursuit Of land prey IN
2 ran like ostriches or leapcd like ka
= garOos. II IL believed that only OF
r group Of them belonged TO types viii
. are necessarily marine animals. VIII
many Of them were representatives
the types which AZ the present d
pertain only 20 fresh water SIX Of 4
/. Dinosauria were terrestrial. and q
y structural adaptations necessary Z
swimming were wanting.
~ Eight were crocodiles In form