Fig. 91.—Imaginative European landscape in the Cretaceous period, with reconstructions of typical reptiles.
Plesiosaurus (swimming, up to 50 ft. long).
Three Ichthyosaurians.
Pterodactyls (flying).
Iguanodon.
Megalosaurus (40 ft. long).
Rhamphorhynchus.
For a considerable time in the world's history the reptiles were the dominant vertebrate class, and in the chalk period especially they were represented by a great variety of forms, and by a number of species of colossal stature, one at least of which was over a hundred feet long. In those times the reptiles were by no means all condemned to crawl on their bellies, for they included a large number of marine forms, comparable to the porpoises and whales among the mammals, and flying forms whose aspect must have resembled, and been equally terrifying with, that of our mythical dragons. A few reconstructions of these are shown in Fig. 91.
Photo: Berridge.
Fig. 92.—Reptiles—A Chameleon.
Photo: Berridge.
Fig. 93.—Reptiles—Indian Python.
