The Dupuyer acantha. [volume] (Dupuyer, Mont.) 1894-1904, 1898-03-24

EhSHIsroRlc AoysTERs-rHf 4 MPRIBhous DINosAtR
Mr.. William II. Ballou writes in the
Century Magazine of Strange Crea-
lures of the Past" basing his descrip-
tons with the accompanying illustra-
lions on the researches of the late
Prof. Edward Drinker Cope of Phila-
delphia. He gave many years to the
study of the fossil or petrified skele-
tons of the gigantic s%aurians, or liz-
ard-like reptiles found in various peos
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 fin-back lizard was one of the
terrible monsters of the Permian era
found in Texas. The skeletons so far
found range from three to ten feet in
length. 1t bears the name OF Dimet-
rodon incisivus (Cope). The long back
spines are often found in masses in the
rocks, adhering together like sticks.
In a related genus, Naosaurus claviger.
these spines had branches, giving them
the appearance of the yard-arms OF
ships, from which may have been ex-
tended membranes enabling these an
finals to sail along the surface of the
water. Owing to the great number
of spines, it may be assumed that this
animal never rolled on the ground like
a horse. The inbacks and spinebacks
were flesh eaters. Their teeth were
formidable, being finely serrate ming
LED with huge comic tusks. Large spines
sprang from the vertebrae, and were
often as long as forty inches and form
cd an elevated fin for defence against
some enemy not yet known. The limbs
were not long enough, nor the claws
sufficiently acute, for tree-climbing.
The dimetrodons were both water and
land animals, being able to walk on
four legs.
These lizards were remote ancestors
of the saurians, called dinosaurs.
which inhabited the earth from the
carboniferous period in the Paleozoic
realm, through the entire mezozoic
realm, or many millions of years. In
the latter portion of this era these rep
tiles reached their time of glory; they
grew in vast numbers and to gigantic
proportions. Some went in herds;
foo was most plentiful; conditions
and climate were most propitious. The
forests and jungles contained those
which walked or four legs; the plains
and fields those that ran or leaped on
two hind legs and tail; the lakes those
that waded, and swimmers which new
er ventured on shore; the ocean those
that swan with great speed and fed
like ducks or sharks.
According to geological reckoning,
the dinosaurs were amongst the high
est types of life on earth several mil
lion years ago; they left only occa-
sional tracks in the rocks, and now
and then a petrifed skeleton. These
bones, when examined, show how the
animal must have moved about. either
in water or land or in air; the teeth
and jaws indicate what he ate, wheth-
er OF flesh, fish or vegetation; his
limbs suggest whether he walked
leaped, waded or swan. 1t is interest
ing to note the diversity of power,
which these dinosaurs possessed. in
Guiding every function given to divers,
animals, even that of flight, ILLUSTRATED
in the related group of p~terosaurs
they were also often endowed will
beaks and claws like birds, but with
out the functions Of flight. In genera
some Of them resembled kangaroos
while others suggested the rhinocer
os and still others correspondent t.
our notions of mythical sea-serpents
Some Of them leaped about on land
some lived lei the ocean, certain va
rieties waded only in lakes, some in
habited the forests, and some wer
amphibious. Certain types walked O.
two hind limbs, balanced by the tai
and others moved squarely on fou
feet.
About $50 species of extinct sal
rians have been discovered on thi
continent, but it is now known tina
they, at n time or another, inhabite
nearly the whole globe.
One can imagine the singular az
pearance of troops of giant sauriar
3 perhaps standing m~otionless, &
marching or wading slowly along tn
| waters edge, ready for a plunge
passing fishes or swimming reptile
j, In the active pursuit of land prey the
ran like ostriches or leaped like kali
garoos. 1t is believed that only or
, group Of them belonged to types whic
' are necessarily marine animals, viii
: many of them were representatives
Z tho fUnnr uyhioh ~ tho nrocopf do
{ pertain only to fresh water. Six of til
Dinosauria were terrestrial, and tt
: structural adaptations necessary fC
: swimming were wanting.
Eight were crocodiles in form {
l which only fresh-water represent