Animals of the Past

This work surveys extinct animals and the evidence they left, beginning with the processes that create and destroy fossils and the methods used to interpret them. It examines early vertebrates and fishes, fossil footprints and their value for reconstructing movement and posture, and the dominant marine reptiles as well as extinct whales and large sharks of ancient seas. It describes the rise of birds, including toothed and flightless types, and treats the discovery, anatomy, habits, and likely diets of dinosaurs. Detailed restorations and references accompany paleontological descriptions throughout.