The log cabin Democrat., 1916-02-02
WAS NOT A LAP PET
Scientist Constructs a Model of
 the StegoSauruS.
interesting Creature Weighed About 15,00O Pounds and Roamed the Earth and Scared Folks Some
 Millions of Years Ago.

Washington.-Howh happy must have been the lot of the prehistoric man. How Hateful the moment when he herded his wife and children in their cave, barred the door," and sharpened his stone ax to resist the attack of that pretty creature weighing some 15,000 pounds, the stegosaurus, or plated liz ard, which, luckily, exists now only in fragments in deep-buried fossils.
 The Smithsonian institution, which takes the 9eepest delight in fossils, has been lying the stegosaurus and restoring to it's pristine state of several hundred millions of years ago, so that one returning home with an imagination too vivid may see it walk ing down Pennsylvania avenue.
 investigations conducted by the section of fossil reptiles of the Ma tional museum concerning the giant fossil reptile known as the stegosau- rus, or plated lizard, reveal many in tereaing facts hitherto unestablished definitely" according to a statement issued by the Smithsonian institution. Tt is now known that two rows of great dermal armor plates along the monsters back alternated like cross cut saw teeth and were not paired; that the largest one was above the base of the tail and not over the hips, as previously supposed; that there were only IS of these plates; that there were but four sharp spines near the end of it's tail, and many other important details relating to the gen. eral appearance of this great reptile which lived about eight million years ago and weighed nearly fifteen thou sand pounds"
 In a recent publication by Dr. Charles w. Gilmore, assistant curator, it is stated that there were reproduced ten pictures of restorations of the stegosaurus as depicted by various au- thorities between the years 1891 and 1912 They show a variety and are of interest as exhibiting the diverse opinions held regarding it's probable appearance in the flesh, and especially as to the arrangement of the skin or ACi lhdi di AlOI HUI lOl lIlS SuCH d conspicuous feature of the external an atomy of this curious reptile. In view of this, MT. Gilmore prepared a model Of the stegOsaurus one-twelfth of the linear dimensions of the type-speci- men now on exhibition in the museum and issued another pamphlet describ- ing 1t.
 In general appearance this rather early reptile was a monster standing nearly nine feet high at his hips, and about fifteen feet long He probably was covered with a tough, hornlike hide, re-enforced on the top and sides of it's head and neck with bony knobs which were in effect not unlike armor plate, or. at least, rivet heads. Ex- tending from it's small, lizardlike head along it's back and well toward it's long, tapering tail were great sharp edged plates arranged alternately in a double row. It's legs and feet were similar to those of the alligators and crocodiles of our age. but the forelegs were much smaller and weaker than the hind ones. due to it's heritage from some ancestor who walked on it's hind legs. It seems to have possessed very little brain, and it may have been for this reason that it was so well protect ed by arnor.
 MT Gilmore's ideas concerning this animals appearance, especially in re- gard to the alternate arrangement Of its back plates. have been found to agree with those expressed by Dr. F. A. Lucas of the American Museum of Natural history. Each arrived at his conclusions independently of the other.
 The new model shows the head of the stegosaurus lowered considerably. as if he were in the act of feeding on the ground, where he is known to have secured his food being a plant eater. to judge from his teeth, and incapable of reaching lofty and elevated herb age. In this position he presents GU rious appearance. not unlike a rough 1 section from a circular saw, for his l back from head to tail curves down ward in each direction from his hips
 At this time the character of the 1 skin covering of this animal is wholly conjectural, but from wbat is known | of the skin of some of the members ! of the horned and duck billed dino l saurs 1t is not unreasonable to believe that the stegosaurus' hide was scale like, with numerous bony knobs or