Evening star., 1911-08-20

largest fesh-eating reptiles living at the
time he did.
There is no animal of today, said
Mr.. Gilmore, (which can be traced back
to this reptile, although in general struc-
ture the ceratosaurus resembles a bird
considerably. But from studying the
skeleton 1t is safe to assume certain
amount in regard to the reptile. That it
is the skeleton of an undoubtedly fero-
ciNls creature IS certain, while 1t can be
further assumed that in fighting he
leaped at his enemies. biting and tear
ing them
1t is only when the subject OF the
probable outer covering of fossil rep
tiles Is mentioned. that the scientists are
unable TO make definite statement
There IS no possible way in which this
can be ascertained, said Mr.. Gilmore
"A drawing has been made of the cera-
tosaurus as ii might have existed, but 1t
can be nothing more than guess work
TO very large extent. AS to the color
of Its covering, we are absolutely in the
dark. In the restoration of the cerato-
saurus the reptile is shown with a COW
ering somewhat similar to that of the
crocodile. but 1t might easily have been
very dissimiiar. And SO, while we are
able TO discover certain facts as being
true simply from careful study Of a
creatures bones, we can not go to the
extent of determining exterior personali-
ties Of which there Is no hint to be OBJ
tanned from the skeleton.
But the visitor with an agile ina gina
ton will need no assistance. A huge
horned reptile. ton in weight. and with
his more necessary pedal extremeties sit
uated in the middle of his awkward body
will come stalking toward them. causing
a sudden but discreet flight to the safety
Of he
The ceratosaurus can be classed as a
native of this country. for it was in what
is now thestate of Colorado that he was
found. 1t was in 1884 that NJ. p. Felch
that ime United States paleontologist
discovered by accident that there were
fossil bones near Canon City, in Garden
Park, Col. The specimen which resulted
from this discovery is the most nearly
complete of any specimen ever discovered
and the only one ever mounted
In mounting the specimen IT was found
necessary to repair and even add GER
tain portions which were missing in this
particular specimen. but which existed
I'm those of others found. For this rea-
son the visitor will observe that while
part of the specimen IS almost black,
there are other parts of slate gray
color. The latter parts are those which
have been modelled at the museum to
take the place of those lacking in the
specimen. The difference in color Is due
TO the fact that the museum authorities
do not want TO mislead the public by
giving the impression that all of the spe-
cimen is authentich In mounting speci-
men all the parts of that particular ami
NAL are assembled. Then if there are
any missing a careful study Is made or
the same parts in another animal. and
the necessary parts modelled after them.
In this way a mounted specimen contains
the bones of but one animal.
The camptosaurus, cousin of the cera-
tosaurus. is plant eater. and therefore
not ferocious. The specimen exhibited,
which Is characteristic of an adult of
this species, is fourteen feet long and
about five and one-half feet at the hips.
With larger hind legs than the ceratosau-
rus, the camptosaurus has also larger
fore legs. From a study of this specimen
II is assumed that the best means OF
warding off defeat lay in flight. as being
unarmed with sharp teeth or horns the
camptoSaurus only counterbalancing
feature lay I'm his agility. But that same
agility IL also credited to cousin cereto-
saurus, thereby making II probable that