[Illustration: Fig. 61.

VESPERTILIO PARISIENSIS.

A Bat of the Eocene.]

[Illustration: Fig. 62

ICHTHYOSAURUS COMMUNIS.

(_Lias._)]

[Illustration: Fig. 63.

PLESIOSAURUS DOLICHODEIRUS.

(_Lias._)]

[Illustration: Fig. 64.

PTERODACTYLUS CRASSIROSTRIS.

(_Oolite._)]

[Illustration: Fig. 65.

CHELONIA BENSTEDI.

(_Chalk._)]

[Illustration: Fig. 66.

PALAEOPHIS TOLIAPICUS.

(_Ophidian of the Eocene._)]

And here let us again pause for a moment, to remark how strangely these
irascible, repulsive reptiles,--creatures lengthened out far beyond the
proportions of the other members of their class by mere vegetative
repetitions of the vertebrae,--condemned to derive, worm-like, their
ability of progressive motion from the ring-like scutes of the
abdomen--venomous in many of their species,--formidable in others to
even the noblest animals, from their fascinating powers and their great
craft,--without, fore or hinder limbs, without thoracic or pelvic
arches,--the very types and exemplars (our highest naturalists being the
judges) of the extreme of animal degradation,--let us, I say, remark how
strangely their history has been mixed up with that of man and of
religion in all the older mythologies, and in that Divine Revelation
whence the older mythologies were derived. It was one of the most
ancient of the Phoenician fables, that the great antagonist of the
gods was a gigantic serpent, that had at one time been their subject,
but revolted against them and became their enemy. It was a monstrous
serpent that assailed and strove to destroy the _mother_ of Apollo ere
yet the birth of the god, but which, long after, _Apollo_ in turn
assaulted and slew. It was a great serpent that watched over the apples
of the Hesperides, and that Hercules, ere he could possess himself of
the fruit, had to combat and kill. It was a frightful serpent that
guarded the golden fleece from Jason, and which the hero had to destroy
in the first instance, and next to exterminate the strange brood of
armed men that sprang up from its sown teeth. In short, the old
mythologies are well nigh as full of the serpent as those ancient Runic
obelisks of our country, whose endless knots and complicated fretwork
are formed throughout of the interlacings of snakes. Let us, however,
accept as representative of this innumerable class of legends, the
classical story, rendered yet more classical by the profound and
reverend comment given by Baco