Prehistoric Remains.

Progress, Volume V, Issue 6, 1 April 1910, Page 202

Prehistoric Remains.

The news of the discovery made by the Berlin University Paleontological expedition (of a huge prehistoric saurian) will be received in the United States with a certain amount of feeling, for hitherto the Americans have had most opportunities of finding Dinosaurs in any number. The name of the particular saurian discovered by the German authorities has not transpired. The name of the suarian nearest in size in America is Diplodocus, of which we publish a view herewith. This is the largest of Mr. Carnegie's collection, possessing a thighbone measuring 59 inches in length. The thighbone of the newly-dis-covered saurian measures 82 inches, and the difference represents an enormous difference in the complete anatomies. Respecting the method of mounting the specimen we illustrate, there are two opinions in the scientific world. Dr. Tornier holds that the tail of Diplodocus> was a far more important member than the mounters of the skeleton suspected. In the Berlin model only the end of the tail rests on the ground, the remaining portion rising at a

did not hold its head horizontally, but that its neck was always curved in the form of an S. Holland likened the head and neck of Diplodoeus to the head and neck of the ostrich, relying on the peculiar ball and socket connection of the neck vertebrae. Such is the European view. Against it is held that the Americans, who have mounted thousands of the skeletons of saurians, could not be ignorant of reptilian skeletons. Professor Boule, of the Museem d'Histoire Naturelle of Paris, contends that Tornier is wrong in holding that mammals have one form of locomotion and reptiles another. The conclusion, he thinks, that because Diplodoeus is a reptile it must crawl is not necessarily valid. Locomotion is dependent on external conditions. As a matter of fact, there was a time in the history of the earth when reptiles were lords of widely different elements. They dominated the water as Ichthyosaurs, Plesiosaurs, and Mosasaurs; they roamed the earth as Dinosaurs; and they navigated the air as Pterosaurs. If present reptiles are limited to a crawling movement, that is by no means conclusive proof that they always crawled.

fairly sharp angle to join the lumber vertebrae. Pie stated that in order to mount the tail in this manner, and to produce the pronounced curve of the reconstruction, it was necessary to snread the vertebrae of the tail. He states that the caudal vertebrae of lizards are never separated in this fashion, but that they are more or less locked together. He believes that the tail did not curve up sharply from the ground, but that it projected rearwardly in a slightly curved form as in all reptiles. In the restoration only one-half of the tail rests upon the ground, the other half rising free into the air. If this were correct the rear extremities of the animal would have been compelled to support an enormous load of bone, which served no useful purpose. In typical four-footed lizards it is the function of the tail to guide the animal. As soon as the animal begins to move the tail stiffens the spinal column, thereby enabling the animal to proceed rapidly along in a straight line. If the tails of such animals be cut away they seem to be no longer able to move properly. It was the purpose of the tail of the Diplodocus to stiffen the lower vertebrae, as in the case of all lizards, when the animal was in motion. Moreover, it served to counterbalance the head of the creature and to prevent it from tipping over forward, particularly when travelling down an incline. Dr. Tornier further held that the animal