New-York tribune., 1901-10-13
A FINE ICHTHYOSAURUS.
THE MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY RE
CErvEs A PRESENT.
FOSSIL REMAINS OF A RARE MARINE LIZARD
MILLIONS OF YEARS OLD

senteo TO the American Museum OF Natural HIS |
tory by Professor Eberhard Fraas. Of Stuttgart, |
has arrived at that institution within few days
and as soon as it can be unpacked it will be |
placed exhibition. This kind Of fossil reptile
may some day be found in abundance in Amer |
ica, but thus far few specimens have been ex- |
humed here. The great majority Of those which |
are known to science were discovered in Eu-
rope. Certain slate quarries at Holzmaden.
wurtemberg. constitute the most prolific source
known at the present time.
Inasmuch the age of reptiles preceded the
age of mammals, the race which this newly ac-
quired fossil represents probably fiourished at
least three four million years ago. perhaps
longer. The gigantic dinosaurs, so many of
whose bones have been found IN America were
practically contemporaries with the ichthyo-
saurs. but differed from them in habitat and
habits The dinosaur lived on land or in sea-
coast swamps- The ichthyosaur was distinctly
a marine animal. and infested the deep sea-
Then, too. IL was much smaller than the dino
saur. Some species may have exceeded twenty
feet in length, but others attained q fair degree
OF maturity at five six. The ichthyosaur
however, a creature which. like q tree
kept growing all fits life, and did not stop at
a given size on attaining a given age. as a horse
deer does.
The name ichthyosaurus has been adopted by
signed resembles fish superficially. although
it IS not true fish in structure. II has huge
dorsal I'm and TAIL for instance, suggestive of
the shark, but IL is no more a fish than the bat
Is bird. An ichthyosaurus possessed enor-
nous head practically no neck, a tapering body
and huge fppers, something like a seals. Its
long snout resembled in a striking manner that
OF certain fossil doiphins. While not q mammal,
therefore. like the seal. dolphin and other ceta-
ceans, its general form reminds the naturalist
strongly Of that group OF animals.
II seems probable, moreover that the ichthyo-
saurus's remote ancestors, like the whales, once
lived on land exclusively A stronger case can be
made out in support OF such a theory OF descent
FOR the plesiosaurus, another marine lizard, than
for the ichthyosaurus, but the end is not yet.
More evidence viii eventually be adduced, no
doubt The history OF the plesiosaurus can be
traced back further, from remains now available
for study, than that of its first cousin. And 1t is
noticeable that in the early types of plesosaurus
the bones corresponding TO the arms and legs
are long. while those representing the feet
short, like a land animals. But slow, gradual
evolution took place which produced short arms
and developed enormous f1ippers at the ends.
These fippers, stripped of their skin and flesh.
reveal four or five series of bones. like those of
human hand The particular species to which
the museums recent acquisition belongs for in
stance, is Ichthyosaurus quadriscissus which
means an ichthyosaur whose hippers exhibit
four finger system. Now. just that sort Of trans
formation is going to-day in the of the |
seals and otters. which belong 10 much more
modern families than the reptiles And though |
this change cannot be traced quite so far in the |
types of ichthyosaurus known. some evil |
dence Of the process is already 10 be found there
peculiarity of the ichthyosaurian skeleton
which puzzled the finders of the first few spec~
mems sharp downward bend of the back
bone near the tail But long ago 1888
Owen advanced theory regarding this "dislo-
cation" which has since been beautifully con-
firrned- Thus is afforded striking example Of
the verifcation Of strictly scientific prediction.
He declared that the characteristic in question
offered satisfactory proof OF the existence of
caudal documentary fin. expanded in a vertical
direction" At that time nothing was known of
the general body outlines Of the reptile. But
many years afterward Professor Fraas secured
specimen from the Holzmaden quarries which
possessed exactly the feature which owen had
described. The original is now retained at Stutt-
CART, but photograph of it hangs the walls
of the Seventy-seventh-st. institution.
The museum already had two small ichthyo-
sauri. the larger being nearly six feet in length.
The newly acquired specimen Is 8 feet
inches long and is remarkably complete More
over, the different bones were all found in their
proper positions relatively to one another. One
will realize the Importance OF this fact the better
when he knows that the parts of fossil skele-
ton are often much scattered and some OF them
entirely missing. Another feature of great popu-
lar as well as scientific interest is the finding of
several young ichthyos> nrI so associated with
the parent skeleton as to prove Enthusiastically
that it was a viviparous animal, although not a
mammal Some reptiles in ancient times laid
eggs. II is known that two or three genera
brought forth their young alive. But regarding
the great majority Of them the naturalists are
still doubtful whether the offspring We're born
or hatched
Professor Fraas, who has made this valuable
gift TO the museum, spent several weeks in the
United States this summer, and Professor Os-
born. curator of paleontology here took him
out TO the famous fossil beds OF Colorado and
Wyoming in the special car which had been
placed az his disposal. Some choice specimens
from American rocks were also presented to the
distinguished foreigner. The fine ichthyosaur
now added 10 the museums collection is in rec
ognition OF these courtesies.
Through the kindness Of Professor Fraas the
museum has secured the promise that the next
ichthyosaur which is dug out at Holzmaden,
showing the fin and integument. will come here
for exhibition upon what will be known as the
'tichthyosaur panel" OF the marine reptile cor
ridor. Only four five specimens are known
fn which the skin is preserved. In general, It
IS smooth and resembles that Of the dolphin,
but IL is so excessively thin that il has TO be
worked out with the utmost delicacy with fine
scalpel under lens. One of these perfect speci-
mems is in Stuttgart. another in Berlin and a
third. the finest OF all, in Budapest
American ichthyosaurs are very rare. but the