Plate II.
Fig. 4.—SKELETON OF ALLOSAURUS.
Fig. 5.—RESTORATION OF ALLOSAURUS.
Materials for the Restoration of Dinosaurs.—Carnivorous dinosaur (Allosaurus) of the Upper Jurassic period of North America, an animal closely related to the Megalosaurus type of England. The skeleton (fig. 4) was found nearly complete in the beds of the Morrison formation, Upper Jurassic of central Wyoming. U.S.A. Near it was discovered the posterior portion of the skeleton of a giant herbivorous dinosaur (Brontosaurus Marsh). It was observed that ten of the caudal vertebrae of the latter skeleton bore tooth marks and grooves corresponding exactly with the sharp pointed teeth in the jaw of the carnivorous dinosaur. This proved that the great herbivorous dinosaur had been preyed upon by its smaller carnivorous contemporary. Teeth of the carnivorous dinosaur scattered among the bones of the herbivorous dinosaur completed the line of circumstantial evidence. Upon this testimony the restoration (fig. 5) of the Megalosaur has been drawn by Charles R. Knight under the direction of Professor Osborn.
(Originals reproduced by permission of the American Museum of Natural History.)
