THE ICHTHYOSAURIAN.

The Skeleton of a Monster Reptile
Found.

A wagon was wandering along the streets, yesterday, and in it the driver said that he had some bones which had been found in the Belt range, but just where did not seem to know. It is to be deplor-ed that the resting place of these bones is not known and the entire skeleton recov-ered, for the portions now exhibited prove that they are portions of an enormous in-habitant of the deep, a gigantic rep-tile, the Icthyosaurian. The lower jaw and one of the ribs are now on ex-hibition. The jaw bone is in an excel-lent state, the cartilage is still on the bones and appears to have been hacked with some sharp instrument. The bone is as solid and white as if the animal had been dead only a few months, instead of thousand years. The jaws have been divided their full length to facilitate transportation. When placed together the shape resemble a pair of glove stret-chers and measure from tip point to socket six feet and a half.

At the point, the jaw is but four inches, and twelve and a half inches in circumference; but gradually increases un-il at the middle it measures fifteen inches, and where the bones separate, 23 inches just span it. From this point to the tip is over four feet, and the upper side is lined with two rows of teeth in a ditch socket. The teeth are perfect.

The teeth being retractile like a snake's all food was swallowed by constriction, and as this would require very light jaws, these are consequently very thin, and at the socket are fifteen inches in breadth. The mouth, as will be understood, is very large. If the jaws could be expanded their full length a tall man could stand in the mouth when open, it being large enough to swallow a steer.

The rib is from the left side, and from the forward curve of the floating en-proves that it is about the fifth or sixth rib back of the head, and just in front of the left fore-shoulder. It is nearly nine feet in length, and is eleven inches in circumference, being five wide and two thick. It was attached to the back bone by a socket joint, which would admit of the neck bending in all directions. As this rib was only in the neck, and the body being large in proportion to the neck, the reptile would measure around the centre of the body fifty or sixty feet. As there are about forty vertebræ, and each averages at least 18 inches, the length of the body, includ-ing the head, would be nearly 70 feet, and the tail with its vertical fin is longer than the body, the size of this delicate animal is astounding. Think if a creature one hundred and forty feet in length, with a body as large as a pioneer cabin, and plenty of room to hold twenty head of choice beebees, and a mouth equal to the supply, should come waddling down Main Street on its four tremendous flippers. It would nearly fill the street, and be a block in length, and as high as a second story window. Its age would preclude all com-petition in priority of settlement on the part of the "old timer," and its size would discount Admiral Blake's sea snake.