. Annual report of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution. Smithsonian Institution; Smithsonian Institution. Archives; Discoveries in science. 658 THE GREATEST FLYING CREATURE. reduced, and the extreme of reduction is found in the frigate bird, which, with a spread of wing of 6 feet 4- inches, has a muscular area of only square ; There is another point in the anatomy of Omithostoma besides length of pinion that lends strength to the supposition that it sailed, and this is found in the structure of the fore limb. It was pointed out by Mr. Huffaker that in spite of
. Annual report of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution. Smithsonian Institution; Smithsonian Institution. Archives; Discoveries in science. 658 THE GREATEST FLYING CREATURE. reduced, and the extreme of reduction is found in the frigate bird, which, with a spread of wing of 6 feet 4- inches, has a muscular area of only square ; There is another point in the anatomy of Omithostoma besides length of pinion that lends strength to the supposition that it sailed, and this is found in the structure of the fore limb. It was pointed out by Mr. Huffaker that in spite of the deficiency of muscle shown by soaring birds the support of the wing was very strongly built; thus the frigate bird with its small breastbone has the bones of the shoulder joint firmly united with one another and with the breastbone. In the albatross strength is gained by shortening and widening the bone to which the wing is directty fastened and giving it a broad base for attachment to the breastbone. In the great pterodactyls strength was obtained by bracing the shoulder blade against the backbone, in the manner shown in the diagram; thus the body, so to speak, was slung from the wings. In addition, three sections of the backbone were united in one piece in order to give a firm point of attach- ment, the whole arrangement curiously suggesting the fore leg of a turtle. In spite of its great extent of wing. Omithostoma was not a heavy animal, possibly not so heavy as the trumpeter swan, for the body was small and the bones reached the extreme of lightness, being far lighter than in any bird. This may be appreciated by ([noting Professor Williston's remark that the bones were almost papery in their character, one of the finger bones 26 inches long and 2 inches in diameter being no thicker than a cylin- der of blotting paper. The same authority, basing his estimate on tnis extreme lightness of structure and the small size of the body, places the weight of one of these pterodac
Size: 1646px × 1518px
Photo credit: © Library Book Collection / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookauthorsmithsonianinstitutio, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1840
