y the view has been taken by Mr. Riggs and the late
Professor Hatcher that they were chiefly terrestrial animals. The
writer inclines to the view of Owen and Cope, whose unequalled
knowledge of comparative anatomy renders their opinion on this
doubtful question especially authoritative.

[Illustration: Fig. 22.--RESTORATION OF BRONTOSAURUS BY C.R.
KNIGHT, UNDER DIRECTION OF PROFESSOR OSBORN. _After Osborn_]

"The contrast between the massive structure of the limb-bones, ribs
and tail, and the light construction of the backbone, neck and skull,
suggests that the animal was amphibious, living chiefly in shallow
water, where it could wade about on the bottom, feeding upon the
abundant vegetation of the coastal swamps and marshes, and pretty much
out of reach of the powerful and active Carnivorous Dinosaurs which
were its principal enemies. The water would buoy up the massive body
and prevent its weight from pressing too heavily on the imperfect
joints of the limb and foot bones, which were covered during life with
thick cartilage, like the joints of whales, sea-lizards and other
aquatic animals. If the full weight of the animal came on these
imperfect joints the cartilage would yield and the ends of the bones
would grind against each other, thus preventing the limb from moving
without tearing the joint to pieces. The massive, solid limb and foot
bones weighted the limbs while immersed in water, and served the same
purpose as the lead in a diver's shoes, enabling the Brontosaurus to
walk about firmly and securely under water. On the other hand, the
joints of the neck and back are exceptionally broad, well fitting and
covered with a much thinner surface of cartilage. The pressure was
thus much better distributed over the joint, and the full weight of
the part of the animal above water (reduced as it was by the cellular
construction of the bones) might be borne on these joints without the
cartilage giving way.

"Looking at the mounted skeleton we may see that if a line be drawn
from the hip joint to the shoulder-blade, all the bones below this are
massive, all above (including neck and head) are lightly constructed.
This line may be taken to indicate the average water-line, so to
speak, of this Leviathan of the Shallows. The long neck would enable
the animal, however, to wade to a considerable depth, and it might
forage for food either in the branches or the tops of trees, or more
probably, among the soft succulent wat