The Carbon County news. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1931, 1925-02-12
CARBON WASPLAY-
GROUND FOR PRE-
HISTORIC MONSTERS
(By DR.. J. C. F. Siegfriedt)

Three toed Dinosaurs, creatures
measuring from 80 to 100 feet long and
IL to 18 feet high with skulls 8 feet
long, lizards 80 feet long, featherless
flying monsters--science has it that
these were the creatures that inhab-
tied the territory which is now Car
bon county. The fossil remains and
bone specimens which have from time
to time found their way to the mq-
seums Of the United States indicate
that the area skirting the Beartooth
range OF mountains was an extensive
shore line Of an ancient lake or sea
where lizards and dinosaurs lived in
great numbers.
/ Dinosaurs
This is an order of fossil reptiles
belonging to the Mesozoic epoch. The
remains are found in the Triassic,
Jurassic and Cretaceous starta both in
Europe and North America. The most
remarkable specimens are found in
the Jurassic rocks of Western North
America. Some had the markings of
our present day lizards and alliga-
tors, four small limbs supporting
an elongated body which terminated
in long pointed tail In hers the
| legs were large and very strong while
| the forelimbs were small and appar-
emily adapted only for prehension and
not for locomotion or support, Similar
( to the kangaroo. The dinosaurs in
clude some of the most gigantic ami
mails that have inhabited the globe.
Fossil foot prints are often found
showing that the animal had three
/ toes on each foot, The thigh bone
| Of the Atlantosaurus, large variety
as well as the Brontosaurus was at
least six feet long. A remarkable
| variety of the group of Dinosaurs was
the Ceratopsia. This animal had a
skull nearly eight feet long with three
horns, two on the head and one on
the nose. Another very Interesting
| specimen was the Stegosaurus. This
TYPE had a remarkable arrangement
of triangular bony plates projecting
from the ridge of the back bone, This
was probably to ward off the attacks
of carrivorous animals.
Towards the close of the Jurassic
times the Dinosaurs were the mon
archs Of the land and sea. In many
ways they were what the mammals
became during the Tertiary times, the
dominant race A
| Some of the largest forms were
aquatic and sezni-aquatic Some were
herbivorous and probably subsisted on
fleaves and young shoots of trees and
plants. Others were carnivorous and
preyed upon the smaller animals, fish
and reptiles.
Geologic Period
The Geologic time during which
these monsters existrd is known as
the Reptilian age. Rocks and stratas
formed at this period antidates the
formation of the coal bed in Carbon
county.
Extent of FOSSIL Beds
Judging from the nunserous speci-
msens one might say the, whole of Car
han county is a veritable fossil bed,
the field extending from the Clarks
Fbrk to the Saltwater and from Red
Lodge to Joliet.
For individuals interested aaid who
wonld like to look up more about these
prehistoric monsters ths following
I,naSnea are suggested:
Atlantosaurus, Brontosaurus, Or
lnithopoda, Icthyosaur, SGraidosaurus,
Stexosaurus, Petrodactyl, Trachadon,
DirEOdocus, Naosaurus, Triceratops,
HaArcsarus.
Research Work in Carbon.
La order to foster and help in the
research work in Carbon county re-
quasi is made, that ang individuals
knowing of locations of amy fossils in
this region, to kindly drop card to
me at Bearcreek, giving the approx
mate location.