File:Image from page 191 of "Water reptiles of the past and present" (1914) (14586353910).jpg

Identifier: waterreptilesofp1914will Title: Water reptiles of the past and present Year: 1914 (1910s) Authors: Williston, Samuel Wendell, 1851-1918 Subjects: Aquatic reptiles Publisher: Chicago, Ill., The University of Chicago Press Contributing Library: Boston Public Library Digitizing Sponsor: Boston Public Library

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Text Appearing Before Image: Fig. 87.—Champsomounted in American saurus; sMuseum. eleton, as(Brown.) i8o WATER REPTILES OF THE PAST AND PRESENT the breeding of their young. Their chief water adaptations areseen in the elongate face and flattened swimming tail. Their legsremained essentially terrestrial, and could have been of but littleuse in the water for propulsion; the feet even were doubtfullywebbed, or if so, not more than are those of the alligator.Singularly, like the proganosaurs, their ribs were heavy andstout, also suggesting bottom-crawling habits, like those of the

Text Appearing After Image: Fig. 88.—Restoration of Champsosanrns living Galapagos lizards. The skull was lightly built, and the facewas long and slender, like that of the gavials and proganosaurs;but, like those of the former and unlike those of the latter, thenostrils were situated at the extreme tip. The hind legs werefirmly attached to the body by the sacrum; and no sclerotic bonesof the eyes have been discovered. The neck was neither unusuallylong nor unusually short. The body was probably covered withhorny scales. RH YNCHOCEPHA LI A 181 To the student of paleontology these animals are of interestbecause of the retention of several primitive traits which had long

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