MILLIONS OF YEARS AGO

Shannon News, 15 March 1927, Page 4

MILLIONS OF YEARS AGO

REPTILES FIFTY FEET LONG. RECONSTRUCTING DINOSAURS, ; LONDON, Jan. 28. On the basement floor of the British Museum of Natural History assistants are engaged in cleaning massive boxes of reptiles which lived in Africa many millions years ago. When these are put together one at least of them will measure 50ft. in length, and 30ft. in height. The great task is under the direction of Mr. W. E. Swinton, of the Department of Geology. In an interview he explained how the specimens of the dinosaurs are packed in Africaand the method of preparation in thelaboratories.

“The evacuation at Tendaguru, British East Africa,” said Mr. Swinton, “Is; under the direction of Mr. Migeo<J,. who is at the head of the British* Museum East Africa expedition. Thebones are found chiefly in ditches, and! little excavation is necessary. Before being packed they are bound many times with bandages previously steeped in plaster. The plaster eventually hardens, and the bones may then be packed in wooden cases for shipment, without fear of damage. . “About 3&0 cases have already arrived,” Mr. Swinton continued, “but there are many more to come. The plaster and bandage is first chiselled away, and with it as much of the earthy substances as possible. In some cases the earth permeates into the bones and makes them more brittle, and then special care is necessary. As soon as the actual bone is visible, ft is painted with shellac varnish to keep the bone perfectly The pieces are afterwards fitted together with cement to form the complete bone, and an soon as a \yhole skeleton is available, the original reptile will be reconstructed, very much on the lines of a jig-saw puzzle."

Among the 25 dinosaurs that it is hoped to reconstruct will be the largest, known as the Torniera. This monster will be 50ft. long and 30ft. high, and will weigh 10 tons. . It will be 10 years before all the reptiles are reconstructed.