The appearance of a second edition affords the author a pleasant opportunity of thanking the reading public, and the Press, for the kind way in which his endeavour to popularise the results of modern Palæontology has been received. There seem to be fashions in all things—even in sciences; and perhaps the wonderful advances we have witnessed of late years in the physical sciences on the one hand, and in biological sciences on the other, may have tended to throw Palæontology somewhat into the shade. Let us hope that it will not remain there long.
A large number of illustrations have been added for the present edition, besides additional matter here and there in the text. Three of the plates (viz. Plates [II.] [X.] [XV.]) have been redrawn. [Plate II.] shows the Ichthyosaurus as interpreted by the latest discovery from Würtemberg. [Plate X.]. gives a somewhat different interpretation of the Stegosaurus, suggested by some remarks of Mr. Lydekker.
A slight change will be noticed in [Plate XV.]. (Brontops). [Plate XVII.]. is a great improvement on the old drawing (Fig. 28, old edition) of the Megatherium skeleton. Plate XXIV., besides containing a valuable portrait of the late Sir Richard Owen, gives another drawing of the Dinornis skeleton.
April, 1893.
| PAGE | |
| [Preface by Dr. Henry Woodward] | v |
| [Author’s Preface] | ix |
| [Preface to Second Edition] | xv |
| [Introduction] | 1 |
| [CHAPTER I.] | |
| How Extinct Monsters are preserved | 9 |
| [CHAPTER II.] | |
| Sea-scorpions | 24 |
| [CHAPTER III.] | |
| The Great Fish-lizards | 34 |
| [CHAPTER IV.] | |
| The Great Sea-lizards and their Allies | 52 |
| [CHAPTER V.] | |
| The Dragons of Old Time—Dinosaurs | 61 |
| [CHAPTER VI.] | |
| The Dragons of Old Time—Dinosaurs | 75 |
| [CHAPTER VII.] | |
| The Dragons of Old Time—Dinosaurs | 98 |
| [CHAPTER VIII.] | |
| Flying Dragons | 121 |
| [CHAPTER IX.] | |
| Sea-serpents | 133 |
| [CHAPTER X.] | |
| Some American Monsters | 148 |
| [CHAPTER XI.] | |
| Some Indian Monsters | 162 |
| [CHAPTER XII.] | |
| Giant Sloths and Armadillos | 177 |
| [CHAPTER XIII.] | |
| The Mammoth | 192 |
| [CHAPTER XIV.] | |
| The Mastodon and the Woolly Rhinoceros | 217 |
| [CHAPTER XV.] | |
| Giant Birds | 227 |
| [CHAPTER XVI.] | |
| The Great Irish Deer and Steller’s Sea-cow | 240 |
| APPENDICES. | |
| [I.]—Table of Stratified Rocks | 251 |
| [II.]—The Great Sea-serpent | 253 |
| [III.]—List of British Localities where Remains of the Mammoth have been discovered | 258 |
| [IV.]—Literature | 261 |
| [V.]—Ichthyosaurs | 264 |
| [Index] | 267 |