Image from page 108 of "Water reptiles of the past and present" (1914) (14586368378)

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

Text Appearing Before Image:

SAUROPTERYGIA 97 plesiosaurs, and even the astute Cuvier was not very clear aboutthem. Cuvier was the first to call attention to them, expressingthe opinion that some of the fossils were of previously unknownanimals allied to the crocodiles, lizards, and plesiosaurs. It wasvon Meyer, however, who first introduced a nothosaur to thescientific world under the name Conchiosaurus. A year laterCount George of Miinster described other forms under the nameNothosaurus, meaning false lizard. Count von Miinster was amost zealous collector of the fossils of the Triassic deposits ofBavaria, amassing, after thirty years of active and enthusiasticlabor, a very large amount of material, which, at his death, waspurchased by the King of Bavaria and placed in the hands of vonMeyer for study. Von Meyer was to Germany what Owen was to

Text Appearing After Image:

Fig. 45.—Head and neck of Nothosaurus; photograph of specimen in the Sencken-berg Museum, from Dr. Dreverman. England, a man of deep learning, having an extensive knowledgeof comparative anatomy, and being thorough and critical in hiswork. His descriptions and illustrations of these rich collectionsmade by von Miinster are masterpieces of scientific thoroughness.He recognized in Nothosaurus and other allied forms from theBavarian Triassic a distinct group of semiaquatic reptiles allied tothe plesiosaurs, and his conclusions have never been gainsaid. Inmore recent years additional remains of these animals from Bavariaand other places in Europe have been described, but none areknown from other parts of the earth, or from other than Triassicrocks. Altogether about ten genera and about twice as manyspecies have been described, probably all belonging in one family,and all by common consent now classified with the Sauropterygia. 98 WATER REPTILES OF THE PAST AND PRESENT

nothosaurus skulls reptilia skulls in dorsal aspect water reptiles of the past and present 1914 book illustrations anatomical atlas anatomy europe travel and description images from internet archive germany

1914

Image from page 108 of "Water reptiles of the past and present" (1914)

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