. The chain of life in geological time [microform] : a sketch of the origin and succession of animals and plants. Paleontology; Paleobotany; Paléontologie; Paléobotanique. 174 THE CHAIN OF LIFE. enjoyed in earth and water; and its failure was immediately succeeded in the Eocene by the appearance of a cloud of true birds, representing all the existing orders of the class. We may close our notice of the winged reptiles of the Meso- zoic by quoting from Phillips his summary of the characters of Rhaidphorhyticus (Fig. 147) i:—" Gifted with ample means of flight, able at least to perch on rock
. The chain of life in geological time [microform] : a sketch of the origin and succession of animals and plants. Paleontology; Paleobotany; Paléontologie; Paléobotanique. 174 THE CHAIN OF LIFE. enjoyed in earth and water; and its failure was immediately succeeded in the Eocene by the appearance of a cloud of true birds, representing all the existing orders of the class. We may close our notice of the winged reptiles of the Meso- zoic by quoting from Phillips his summary of the characters of Rhaidphorhyticus (Fig. 147) i:—" Gifted with ample means of flight, able at least to perch on rocks and scuffle along the shore, perhaps competent to dive, though not so well as a palmiped bird, many fishes must have yielded to the cruel beak and sharp teeth of the Rhamphorhyncus. If we ask to. Fig. 150.—Jaw of Bathygnathus ^'rm/w (Leidy). A Triassic Dinosaur from Prince Edward Island. a. Cross section of second tooth, natural size, b. Fifth tooth, natural size. which of the many families of birds the analogy of structure and probable way of life would lead us to assimilate Rham- phorhyncus, the answer must point to the swimming races, with long wings, clawed feet, hooked beak, and habits of violence and voracity; and for preference, the shortness of the legs and other circumstances may be held to claim for the Stonesfield fossil a more than fanciful similitude to the groups of Cormor- ants and other marine divers which constitute an effective part of the picturesque army of robbers of the ; 1 Geology of Oxford, p. Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original Dawson, J. W. (John William), Sir, 1820-1899. London : Religious Tract Society
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