X. ORDER PROTOROSAURIA 132 Protorosaurus. Pleurosaurus. XI. ORDER SQUAMATA 138 Lizards. Mosasaurs. Snakes. XII. ORDER THALATTOSAURIA 171 XIII. ORDER RHYNCHOCEPHALIA 176 Choristodera. XIV. ORDER PARASUCHIA 184 Phytosauria. XV. ORDER CROCODILIA 194 Eusuchia. Mesosuchia. Thalattosuchia. XVI. ORDER CHELONIA 216 Side-necked Turtles. Snapping Turtles. Fresh-water or Marsh Tortoises. Land Tortoises. Sea-Turtles. Ancient Sea-Turtles. Leather-back Marine Turtles. River Turtles. CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION In most persons the word reptile incites only feelings of disgust and abhorrence; to many it means a serpent, a cold, gliding, treacherous, and venomous creature shunning sunlight and always ready to poison. Our repugnance to serpents is so much a part of our instincts, or at least of our early education, that we are prone to impute to all crawling creatures those evil propensities which in reality only a very few possess. Were there no venomous serpents—and there are but two other venomous reptiles known—we should doubtless see much to admire in those animals now so commonly despised; because a few dozen kinds, like the rattlesnakes, copperheads, and cobras, protect themselves in ways not unlike those used by man to protect himself, we unjustly abhor the thousands of other kinds, most of which are not only innocent of all offense toward man, but are often useful to him.