A Time Traveller's Field Notes and Observations of DINOSAURS

8/10/2019 A Time Traveller's Field Notes and Observations of DINOSAURS

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This edition published in Great Britain in 2010 by Top That! Publishing plc,Marine House, Tide Mill Way, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP12 1AP, UK

www.topthatpublishing.com

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All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or byany means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Neither this book nor any part nor any of the illustrations, photographs or reproductions contained in it shall be sold or disposedof otherwise than as a complete book, and any unauthorised sale of such part illustration, photograph or reproduction shall be

deemed to be a breach of the publishers copyright.

ISBN 978-1-84956-306-2

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, incidents and dialogues are products of the authors imagination or are usedfictitiously. Any resemblance to actual people, l iving or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

Creative Director Simon Couchman. Editorial Director Daniel Graham. Art Editor Matt Denny. Written by Gordon Volke. Prehistoric illustrations by Robert Nicholls. Character illustrations by Neil Reed.


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W hat a wonderful summer we are having this year! Since earlyMay, the sun has shone from a cloudless blue sky, making thehills and fields around the village shimmer like a mirage. Now wehave reached August, the days are so hot that the dust from theroads rises up like smoke and the horses queue for a drink from

the water trough in the high street. Even old Mr Givens, who

runs the village shop, has taken off his jacket, revealing a splendid pair of bright red braces. It has never been known!

Alas! If only I could enjoy this summer idyll. With Fatheraway at The War, a cloud hangs over me all the time. I worry thathe is having a terrible time in the trenches. I worry even more

that he wont come back. I know he is a chaplain and not asoldier, but he is still at the mercy of all those dreadful shells and

bullets, and he would not think twice about risking his life to helpsomeone in trouble. Oh, why must men fight wars?

Dear Father! I miss him so much. He is the gentlest and kindest man in the whole wide world.

August 2nd, 1915 The Old Vicarage, Little Waltham.

Summertime


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Our old summer house and the rickety old shed behind.

My sketch of Mr Givens shop. It is quite an Aladdins Cave. shoelaces to sacks of coal. Mrs Givens is nice, too. She has twcalls you dearie.

Anyway, here I am as usual in the summer house at the bottomof our garden. This is where Father conducts his scientificexperiments and where I am continuing his work while he is away.

I love knowledge. It sustains me like the air that I breathe. I want to know everything I can about this wonderful world of ours.


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August 3rd, 1915 A strange machine is hidden in the she

A DiscoveryM ama worries that I spend so much time in the summer house.She thinks I am too much on my own. I keep telling her that Iam perfectly happy, but this did not stop her finding me a friendin the shape of a penfriend in Switzerland. I wrote to this girl,

telling her that I was fourteen and lived in a village called Little Waltham. I have twin sisters, Lydia and Kate, who are sixteen,

and a younger brother, Tom, who is ten. I added that I lovescience and drawing. The girl did not write back. Obviously, shefound me too boring.

Lydia and Kate think I am boring. They say so to my face.They call me a plain little thing and a bookworm. Tom isequally rude. He calls me a horrid bore because I do not play

with him as much as I used to. I do not care. I find theircompany equally dull. The twins are only concerned about the

latest fashions and how they look, while Tom has to be on the goall the time and needs constant entertaining. I tire of my siblingscompany as quickly as they tire of mine.

Lydia and Katewith Mama.

This is Kate

Th


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I do have one good friend, however, and that is you, dearDiary! I can tell you all my thoughts and feelings and mysecrets. I know you will not divulge anything to anybody, as longas I keep you away from prying eyes. So, I will tell yousomething that I would not dream of telling anyone else. There is

a strange machine hidden in the shed behind the summer house!On a shelf beside it, there is an old biscuit tin containing a hugecrystal that pulsates with a menacing bright green light.

Although the machine is covered in a thick layer of dust andgrime, there is an obvious recessed compartment that perfectlymatches the shape of the crystal. What happens when the twoare put together, I cannot imagine but I mean to find out!

The fields, behind the house, that Tom and I used to play on.

This is the crystal. Fathe mentioned it, but I have some notes he kept hidd and learned how it cam possession. He was usin one night when he saw light fall to earth. Next investigate and found thcrystal pulsating in the could be from another w

W h at w i l l h a p p en w h en t h e st r an g e

m ac h in e an d t h e c r y st a l a r e r e un it e d ?


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August 4th, 1915 All knowledge, ever known and yet to be known

The RiddleI gave in this morning and went out into the fields with Tom.

We pretended to be explorers, finding our way around astrange land full of terrible dangers. I must confess, I enjoyedmyself enormously even though I am supposed to havegrown out of such games. We came home at the end of themorning with scraped knees and faces stained by the juice of

wild blackberries, just like we did years ago. Good job Mamadid not see me. She would have said it was not ladylike!

Tom wanted me to go out with him again this afternoon, but I said no this time. My mind was running on moreimportant things. If only I could make sense of themathematical formulae in Fathers hidden notes! And whatdid he mean when he wrote this:

It is built and now I must put theory into action. Allknowledge, ever known and yet to be known, is only aswitch away.

I shall find out this afternoon. At luncheon, Mamaannounced that she was taking Lydia and Kate to thedressmakers and Tom has now arranged to visit hisfriend, Daniel.


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At three oclock, I went into the shed and put the crystal inits allotted space on Fathers strange machine. The followingaccount is a record of the unbelievable events that occurred in

the ensuing hours:

Nothing at all happened! No, that is not correct -number dials started spinning. I pressed a switch which abruptly stopped the mechanism. As the dithe number 605 lined up beside a pointer labell

The whole machine started to shake. I could feel and wondered where I was going. My head was i and nauseous.

I felt a heavy BUMP, and the noise and confusion strange and eerie silence. It appeared that my sho spent the next couple of minutes mustering the n open the door.

After much fidgeting and clock watching I openechanged my life completely and forever in an ins

Part of the control console in thecockpit of Fathers machine.

3.45pm

3.35pm

3.42pm

3.50pm


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The Dawn of TimeMYA stands for Millions of Years Ag

The Time Mach

This dramatic panorama was my first impression of the

Ah! What a scene lay before my eyes! At first I thought I wason another planet, somewhere out in space.

Then, it struck me! The letters MYA stand for Millions of Years Ago. If my theory is correct, then I had miraculously travelled back 605 million years, to a time when the Earth wasstill forming. I have since learnt that this era of time is referred

to as the Precambrian Period.I decided to fetch my sketch pad and record everything that

I saw. The pictures were coloured later, when I had more time.

The shorewas littered with strange mushroom- shaped rocks.

The sea was a beautiful shade of emerald green

N o o bv i o u s s i gn s o f l i f e.


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The moon seemed far largerthan at home.

The landscapewas dominatedby enormous active volcanoes.


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The Precambrian Period Take notes. Collect samples. Be a scient

Dawn of TimeM y head told me to go home right away and be safe. But myheart kept saying:

You are visiting the dawn of time! You are seeing things that nobody has ever seen before. Make the most of it! Gooutside and look around. Take notes. Collect samples. Be ascientist! I had to obey my heart!

As soon as I stepped outside, I found it hard to get my breath. The air was very thin, like being on the top of a highmountain. With so little oxygen around, I could not exert myself

too much or I might have fainted.I came across some loose stones by the sea. They were

covered in green slime. I picked a few up and took them back with me for analysis.

Suddenly, what had been an exciting adventure turned into a potential disaster! A loud rumbling sound made me look in thedirection of the horizon. Then I saw a tidal wave, hundreds of feet high, hurtling towards me at the speed of an express steam

The green slime on the rock was algae, one of the earliest forms of life. The water around it was a strange dark green colour. I have since found out that this was dueto the chemicals and minerals

dissolved in it.

Rock sample

A m a z i n g !


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Field notes and observations: I painted this picture of t peace and safety of my beloved shed. I have since disctidal waves were caused by the Moon being so much c is today. The roar as this wall of water approached was

train. I was frozen with fear. Gulping as much precious oxygeninto my lungs as I could, I raced back towards my time machine!

I made it with just seconds to spare. The little craft rocked as the first wave of water swirled around its legs. I panicked, not

knowing what to do next. Then I applied some logic and set thedial to 1915 AD. I hoped it would take me back to my own time.It worked! The crystal glowed again, followed by the same

violent shaking and a euphoric feeling of lift-off.

Precambrian tidal w


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MPORTANT! Replenish art

materials!

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August 4th, 1915 Fathers time machine gives me unique acce

A New FriendI f I did not have the samples of rock in my possession, I wouldhave thought this whole thing was a dream. Stranger still, theclock in the shed still showed forty two minutes past three whenI returned, even though I had been gone for just under threehours. Obviously, time-travelling time is different from real time.So, my family will never miss me, even though I could be gone

for days or weeks.I wish I could tell Father of my adventure Oh, foolish me!

I have been so blind! He did not mean to keep this marvellousmachine hidden. He meant for me to discover it and use it becausehe is unable to! Very well then! I shall honour his wish.

My first journey has taught me some valuable lessons.In future, I must make sure I do these important things

1. Be prepared for visiting a strange environment. I shall food, water, camping equipment and many other items 2.Keep a record of everything I see. Fathers invention g

the past. I will be experiencing history first-hand. I mufindings in the form of notes, sketches and paintings soFather when he returns.

3.Make sure I always get back safely! I am sorry, dear Diary. Your days are over. From now on, you

are going to be known as my Journal!

Evening

F o o d p r o v i s i o n sC h o c o l a t e , B i s c u i t s ( s av D r i e d f r u i t , B i s c u i t s ( sT i n n e d m e a t , t i n n e d b e t i n n e d s o u p ( t o m a t o

Kit

w ac ant

p enkn

t i n o p

c o m p

m atc h t in d e r

T ent, & f

c o ok i n g

m a l l

r o p

My tent


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August 5th, 1915 I have been busy preparing for my first proper journey into the

past and I have made some big decisions Mr Givens was a bit suspicious when I started buying lots of

food and supplies, so I told him I was going camping with somefriends. His wife came to my rescue, saying:

If these newfangled Boy Scouts can go to camp, Herbert, socan the girls. Isnt that right, dearie?

To start with, I was not sure where to go. There are so many

exciting times and places to explore. Once again, though, dearestFather has made up my mind for me. He is passionate aboutdinosaurs and keeps a book up to date with the latest discoveries.So, I intend to return to prehistory, starting my journey in theTriassic Period about 230 million years ago. This is the first greatage of the dinosaurs and there should be plenty to see.

Botheration! Mama has just called down the garden to say that Aunt Harrietand Cousin Millicent havecome to call. That is the last

thing I want to happen at

the moment a visit frommy nosy cousin and hersnobbish mother!

Morning

Nosy Cousin Millicent.


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At all times everything must be kept sec

Prehistory Prepa W hy do grown-ups always assume that children will get on with each other just because they are the same age? Millicentonly had to express a desire to see my scientific studies forMama to pack us straight off to the summer house together.

Hoping my cousin would soon lose interest, I left her to wander around the laboratory area on her own. I knew she did

not really care a fig about what I was doing. But did she grow bored? Not at all! She made a beeline straight for theshed door!

Whats in there? she asked.Nothing, I replied.You wont mind showing me, then! she demanded.It took a long and tiring battle of wills to convince Millicent

that there was nothing of any import behind that locked door. Iam not even sure that I succeeded, for I caught her a little while later, standing on tiptoe, trying to peep through the grimy windows. She suspects there is a secret hidden in there and she is right. But she must never, ever, find out what it is!

Our guests left after tea. At least I have learned anothergolden rule from my hateful cousins visit

4.At all times, everything must be kept secret!First thing tomorrow morning, before everyone is up, I shall

depart on my journey. I have everything I need stowed away in the hold of the time machine. Now I must try to get some sleep.Goodnight, dear Journal. Our adventure begins at first light.

Evening

August 5th, 1915


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My Journey ToTHE TRIASSIC PERIOD

The Triassic Period was 245-208 Millio


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I am standing in a forest clearing 230 million years ago and I amsurrounded by giant seed-ferns that reach over my head likehuge hands! Everywhere in the distance I can see conifer trees.The cones they produce are enormous. It is like looking at aScottish hillside through a giant magnifying glass!

Something came crashing through the undergrowth. It sounded big, so I got out of its way by climbing up a tree. What a powerful-looking beast it was! It had a massive head of about three feet long and jaws full of very sharp teeth. It was shaped a bit like a crocodile, but much taller and heavier. I made a mentalnote to look it up in Fathers book later on.

Day 1 in the Triassic Period 230 million years ago!

Triassic Terror

Mid- morning

Giant ferns and conifers grow in such abunda

Just aftersunrise


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Erythrosuchus Fathers book contains a reference for every prehistoric cr encountered earlier today is an Erythrosuchus. The name iErry-throw-soo-chus and means red crocodile.

IMPORTANT NOTE:I was inaccurate earlier when I described the Erythrosuchus as hafeet long. Such Imperial measures are acceptable for everyday co journal like mine. I should have said one metre long. From now

I thought the creature had gone and was just getting downfrom my perch in the tree when it spotted me and came back toinvestigate. It was obviously a meat-eating predator and ahungry one at that. It threw its huge bulk against the tree in an

attempt to shake me down. I had to hold on with both hands until my knuckles were white.

My ordeal lasted abouthalf an hour. After that, themonster lost interest andmoved on. I must be verycareful. Otherwise, I will

end up as prey!

Erythrosuchu dinosaur but

relative. It is foremost predthe time.

The creature possessed teeth like steak knives!


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M y hand is shaking so much, I can barely write. I have justexperienced a terror worse than any nightmare.

I was awoken just after first light by a foul stench. Openingmy eyes, I found my tent tossed aside and the ugly, snarling faceof the Erythrosuchus breathing right into mine!

I screamed so loudly that my throat is still hoarse.

Obviously, the beast had never heard such a high-pitched sound before. It recoiled for a moment and that gave me time to escape.I scrambled up some nearby rocks faster than a squirrel runningup a tree!

To my surprise, the Erythrosuchus did not pursue me. TheTanystropheus I saw yesterday came splashing past throughsome shallow water, chasing a small animal. Spotting it, the

Erythrosuchus turned aside with a stomach-churning roar and thundered after it. I watched the long-necked reptile struggle through the clinging vegetation, trying to reach the safety of the open water.

All my life, I have endeavoured to have a scientific attitudeand view everything without emotion, so I know that a

predator should never be judged for the way in which it finds

its food. After all, my favourite poet, Tennyson, said, Natureis red in tooth and claw. And yet, having nearly been the victim of this horrible killer, I could not help being on theside of the Tanystropheus. I found myself standing upand yelling:

Go on! Go on! Keep going!

Day 2 in the Triassic Period Nature is red in tooth and claw - Alfred T

Escape MechaMid- morning


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My cries were to no avail. The Erythrosuchus opened its terrible jaws and closed in for the kill.

Then an amazing thing happened! As the predators teeth took hold of the Tanystropheus tail, it broke off! At first, I

thought this was some terrible wound, but then I realised that it was supposed to happen. It is an escape mechanism! Somemodern-day lizards still use the same device.

With a roar of fury, the attacker swallowed his tiny morsel while the would-be victim made his getaway into deep water.How I cheered silently, of course, in case the hunter turned hisattention back to me! Then it was all over. The Tanystropheus

disappeared under the waves. The Erythrosuchus crashed off insearch of another meal. And I was left realising that I had witnessed something of major importance. Tanystropheus shedsits tail as a defence mechanism. My wish has come true. I haveadded something to our knowledge of prehistoric creatures!

The ferocious Erythrosuchus attack as I witnessed it


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Day 6 in the Triassic Period I have found a friend to keep me compa

AlbertThis is a lonely and desolate place. I have only my owncompany night and day and my work has become dangerousand unpredictable. Maybe all this rain has something to do

with my misery? It has not stopped for the past three days. If itcontinues much longer, I shall have to strike camp and move tohigher ground to avoid becoming waterlogged.

What a surprise! I have found a friend to keep me company. Itis a small dinosaur that walks on its hind legs. He hopped intomy clearing looking lost and hungry so I fed him some scraps.Now he will not go away. He is not exactly tame he is asharp-toothed carnivore from whom I keep a respectfuldistance but there is definitely a bond

between us. I have named him Albert.

Close-up of Coelophysis blade-like teeth.

First light

Mid- morning

Name : Coelophysis Pronunciation : See-low-fie-issMeaning of name : hollow form

Description in Fathers book: A lightly-built dinosaur two to three metres in length. It moves on two powerfu smaller forelimbs. Evidence suggests that it lived in a

The long tail is u rudder to help thchange direction

Coelophy

small forwith gra hands

Albert


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Albert was restless and excited this afternoon and made frequentforays out of the camp. I followed him along a steep, well-beaten

track and it proved to be my salvation. The ground was much drierhigher up and so I decided to pitch a new camp on a small plateau

halfway up the hill.I soon learned what was agitating Albert. He had found his pack again! He must have been separated from them when he metme, but quickly went off to join them when he heard themsquabbling and fighting over a kill.

As I watched Albert tuck into his feast a dark shadow passedover my head. Looking up, I saw a flying reptile with a wingspan

of at least a metre. I did not need Fathers book to tell me this wasa pterosaur (pronounced teh-row-sore, meaning winged lizard).It flew across to a lake in the distance and started skimming the

surface, hunting for fish. It will make a splendid picture. It doesnot look like a living animal. It looks more like one of those newflying machines, called aeroplanes, that have been taking to theskies in recent years.

Dusk

A pack of Coelophysis feasts on the re of a kill as a pterosaur flies overhead.


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The storm clouds are gathering again, blacker than ever.My time on this hilltop is limited. I must make the most of it by

taking notes and sketching the amazing creatures that I can see.

A deluge of biblical proportions forced me to stop making fieldnotes and observations. I wrapped my precious journal and art

materials in an oilskin bag, to prevent them from getting wet,and tucked the bag inside my coat before taking refuge in acopse further down the hill.

Day 7 in the Triassic Period Today the heavens opened!

Dark Skies

I saw a big armoured dinosaur about five metres long and two it as a Desmatosuchus. That is pronounced Des-mat-oh-soo-ch huge spike above each shoulder from which a row of spikes ra

Morning

Lateafternoon

Desmatosuchus


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This goliath animal is a plaPlateosaurus (Plat-ee-oh-s meaning flat lizard). The at least ten metres long anweighed several tonnes.

This beast is a phytosaur (Fie-toh-sore meaning plant reptile is misleading. Their many teeth and long, snapping jaws clearl

The one I observed (a Rutiodon)four metre

Rutiodo

Plateosaurus


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I t is now two days since the disaster. I must have lainunconscious for one of them, having hit my head on a rock as acascade of mud and water surged through the copse. It has takenmost of today to recover from my ordeal. Only now do I feel

well enough to resume my journal. At least that is safe. All Iremember is clutching it tight to my chest as I was swept down

the hillside by the malevolent torrent.I have resolved to find my time machine and return to the

present as soon as possible but first I feel compelled toobserve and record the extraordinary scene that lies before me.

Day 9 in the Triassic Period The unrelenting rain caused a catastrophic

Washed Away

Poor Albert is dead. All the Coelophysis are dead. They li drowned and broken by the mudslide that caught us all un


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Down here, on the beach, lies the partially decomposedcarcass of an enormous marine creature twenty metres long at

least. How it comes to be washed up here, I cannot say. Maybeit became stranded in the way that whales still do today?

This is the third day that I have not eaten. I am tempted to join the host of scavengers who are feeding on thisunfortunate reptile, but the idea of eating raw meat completely

turns my stomach.Let us hope my time machine remains intact. Otherwise, I

shall be like the Shonisaurus stranded here until I die!

Note: Fathers book contains an amusing fact. The first Shonisa by silver miners. They took home some of the heavy, round vert

This enormous marine reptile is called a Shonisaurus (pron meaning Shoshone Mountains reptile). The dead specimtwenty-three metres in length and has four powerful flippe rather like that of a dolphin.

Shonisaurus


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Day 10 in the Triassic Period I cannot wait to leave the Triassic Perio

Heading HomM y worst fear materialised earlier today when I discovered thatmy time machine had been damaged by the mudslide. One of the

leg struts had broken off rendering it useless. What was worse something was moving about inside!

Thankfully, the intruder was only a tiny dinosaur, about thesize of a rabbit. I opened the door and let it out. I will find out

what it is and sketch it when I get home. I cant wait to leave theTriassic but I still have to mend the broken strut.

I attempted to fix the broken leg with some wood and string taken from the cabin. It did not work. So then I looked around and the solution was right under my nose! A sturdy dinosaur

bone lay on the ground at the edge of the clearing. Jammed in

hard, its a perfect fit and has set the time machine at an uprightangle. I am ready to depart at last!

Late morning

Afternoon

Saltopus The rabbit-sized dinosaur that hadtaken up residence in my time machine was a Saltopus (pronounced

Salt-oh-pus and meaning hoppingfoot). It moved on two legs and was afast runner. It had a five-fingered hand and a long head with lots of very sharpteeth. So it was a carnivore.

The bo saved

N ot e t o s e l f :M u st d o p r o p e r r e p a i r s w h en I

g et h o m e.


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Sanmiguelia flower - with large palm-like leaves.

A thrips beetle

Mushrooms

A fly, Architipula

A pack of Coelophysis run across thefoot of a giant Sequoia redwood tree.

Species of insect and flora that I identified, usingFathers book, during my expedition.


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A comparative scale studyWhile the memory of my Triassic adventure is still fresh, I have tried to capture the comparative scale of the magnificent reptiles that I observed. This scientific approach to illustration has provedto be the most challenging thus far.

Reptiles of the Tria

Tanystropheus - 6.5 m long(a prolacertiform)

Desmatosuchus - 5 m(an aetosaur)

Rutiodon - 4 m long(a phytosaur)


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Eudimorphodon - 1 m wingspan(a pterosaur)

Plateosaurus - (a dinosau

Erythrosuchus -(an archosauro

Saltopus - 60 (a dinosau

Coelophysis - 2 to 3 m long(a dinosaur)

Shonisaurus - 23 m long(an ichthyosaur)

Important note: m = metres and cm =


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August 8th, 1915 I shall live longer ...because my time spent time-tr

BrunoThe first thing I noticed upon my return to the present was thesame strange phenomenon in relation to time. I was away in theTriassic Period for a total of ten days, yet I returned with thesummer house clock showing the same moment that I had left.

At least everyone is spared the worry of my disappearance, but what will be the effect in the long run? It would seem that I

shall live longer than anyone else because my time spent time-travelling does not count.

The big news here is that we have a dog! Mama felt insecure with Father away all the time, so she went to a local farm and bought an unwanted mongrel to act as our guard dog. I thinkshe has made a mistake. Bruno is untrained and unruly. Hecrashes around the house like a big puppy, knocking things over

and upsetting everyone. He looks for love from everyone hemeets, so I cannot imagine him being much of a deterrent to a

burglar unless he licks the villain to death!Mr Givens gave me some very funny looks when I went to

replace my lost equipment and replenish my supplies. He evenhad the audacity to ask me why I needed to purchase so manyitems again. I declined to answer this time. I fail to see why I

should be forced to lie in public because of his nosy questioning.He is only a shopkeeper and should know his place. I shall makea point of going into town next time I need to shop for my trips.Then he will not be able to question what I am doing.


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August 15th, 1915 Poor Bruno has been banished from the h

Bad BehaviouThe situation with Bruno has turned out just as I predicted only in the most amusing of ways!

On Tuesday, the Vicar came to tea. Reverend Thomas, whois standing in for Father in his absence, is perhaps the dullestman who has ever been born. Mother endures his company

because she feels it is her duty, but the others go out when he

calls and I always beat a hasty retreat to the summer house,citing my studies as an excuse. Apparently, just as Mama was pouring her finest tea into our

best teacups, Bruno came bounding into the room and knockedeverything over. Then he proceeded to eat all the fancy cakes

that had been thrown onto the floor before wait for it cocking his leg and relieving himself over the Vicars shoes!Mama says she has never seen Reverend Thomas leave thehouse so fast. She pretended to be very cross about the whole

business, but I could see a real twinkle in her eyes.Even so, poor Bruno has been banished from the house. My

sisters do not want the same thing happening to their favouriteshoes and Tom will only encourage worse behaviour from thedog. So guess who has taken responsibility for him!

Bruno is now based in the summer house. I take him out for walks morning and evening. I feed him regularly. Mostimportant of all, I chastise him gently when he does wrong and

praise him warmly when he behaves well. There is muchunderstanding between us already.


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I am worried that my secret could have been discovered.It was very hot as I made my final preparations and I foolishlyopened the shed window to let in some air. Next minute, Toms

ball bounced inside and he put his head in through the window to ask for it back. I do not know whether he saw the timemachine or not. If he did, he probably did not know what it was.However, should he say anything about it, my adventures will beover before they have really begun.

This is a catastrophe! Just as Bruno was becoming a loyal andobedient dog, he has disappeared! Tom and I have lookedeverywhere for him and called and called until our throats arehoarse, but there is no sign of him. I hope he comes back soon.

I wanted to depart this morning, but feel I cannot leave with thiscrisis unresolved. Tom and I spent all day searching for Bruno,again without success.

Still no sign of the dog. I fear he is lost forever.

I wish Father could have been here to witness todaMondaymorning

Wednesdayevening

Saturday

Tuesday


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My Journey ToTHE JURASSIC PERIOD

The Jurassic Period was 208-144 Milli


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Day 1 in the Jurassic Period 160 Million Years Ago!

Jurassic JournThe crystal did not seem to glow as brightly as on my previous

trips and it took longer to get here. I hope the crystal is not losing its power. Also, those strange noises did not abate. In fact, they grew louder. I have no idea what could be making them.

A tiny dinosaur tried to befriend me earlier. It was a Othnielia(pronounced Oth-nigh-eel-ee-ah and meaning Othniel s dinosaur). He scuttled along on two legs and looked to me as if he was a herbivore a plant eater.

Mystery footprint:

The moment I opened the dootime machine, I saw somethintook my breath away. It was footprint that must belong to plant-eating dinosaur. The quwhich one? My hope is that i made by an Amphicoelias (pam-fee-see-lee-as and mean hollow), possibly the largestcreature ever to walk on Eart

Othnielia


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Day 2 in the Jurassic Period Watching these plant eaters at work is an aw

Sauropod SpoI have spent all day observing and drawing three huge

plant-eating dinosaurs (scientific name, sauropods). Here theyare with a brief summary of Fathers notes combined with myown observations

This is the age of th plant-eating dinosa

Diplodocus, BrachiApatosaurus, Seism Supersaurus and Ba are all around at th


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Watching these plant eaters at work is an awesome sight. Theycan strip a conifer tree bare in a matter of minutes. One half of

the plain before me is a lush, green forest; the other half is a bare wasteland of shredded trees and chewed-off shrubs. Modernelephants devastate whole areas like this. Good job there aremiles of fertile open space in the Jurassic!

SPECIAL NO TE: Sometimes this dinosaur is called a Brontosaurus. The name is

Name: Apatosaurus (pronounced Ah-pat-oh-saw-rus, me Observation: This massive creature looks about thirty metleast twenty tonnes. It is a stocky animal that holds its tail along. I saw it use its tail for balance when its head was

vegetation. Fathers records say that its jaws do not hachewing tough plants, so it swallowed stones (proper grind up food in its stomach.

Apatosauru


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Name: Barosaurus (pronounced Bah-roh-saw-rus, mean Observation: This sauropod has a particularly long neck between the two must be at least twenty-seven metres!

Name: Brachiosaurus (pronounced Brack-ee-oh-saw-rus Observation: Its front legs are longer than its back ones (rLike all the sauropod dinosaurs, it has a very long neck anteeth, allowing it to bite off leaves and vegetation with ea Brachiosaurus live in family groups or herds. Large numbcombined with their gigantic size, make them hard to atta powerful predators.

Barosaurus

A herd of Brachiosaurus


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I received the shock of my life this morning. I opened the hatch to the hold (which I keep locked for security), and out jumpedBruno! He was full of beans, despite having been cooped up insuch a small space for so long. I was just giving him a drink of

water when a voice called out to me: Can I have some too please, sis? It was Tom! He had come as a stowaway too!

Later, when my little brother had recovered, he explained that he had heard some faint barking from the region of thesummer house. He discovered Bruno trapped in the timemachine, which Tom thought was some kind of heating systemfor the house! He was just in the process of letting the dog out

when I arrived and took off. So now they are both here with me.Tom showed no surprise when I explained about Fathers

incredible invention. Children of ten are still learning about the world, so they accept things as normal that older people findamazing. He was pleased to be sharing my adventure and, in myheart, I was delighted to have his company, even though he

would make short work of my food supplies and hugely increase the chance of something going wrong.

Tom was keen to go dinosaur-spotting, so we left the

plateau, where I had set up camp, and scrambled down a rockyslope to the valley below. From here we observed two differentanimals using the herds of gentle sauropods to their advantage.

Day 3 in the Jurassic Period Children accept things as normal that older pe

Stowaways

I a m s u r e t h at B r un o w a s n ot t r a p p e d in t h e m ac h in e

f o r t h e ent i r e t i m e t h at h e w a s m i s s in g. It i s n ot p o s s i b l e t o s u rv iv e w it h o ut

w at e r f o r t h e l en gt h o f t i m e t h at h e w a s a b s ent.


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Name: Sordes pilosus (pronoSore-days pie-low-suss, meanin

demon). Observations: This tiny ptflitted about among these huge dinosa

modern bat, eating insects from their ski

Name: Dryosaurus (pronounced Dry-oh-saw-rus meaning oak lizard). Observations: It was a smallish dinosaur that followed the big sauropods for protection. I saw a whole herd keeping pace with the migrating giants, but steering well clear of those pillar-like legs to avoid beingtrampled on!

DUNG NOTE: One thing that I forgot to mention about the sauropods. Fa single animal of that size must eat in the region of 400 po(scientific conversion = 182 kilograms) a day. Given that herds, and there are several species of them, the amount o be truly phenomenal. I hope I never come across any of it

Sordes pilosus in flight.

Dryosaurus


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Day 4 in the Jurassic Period What have we done?

A Sleepless NTom and I feel like characters from The Lost World by Sir

Arthur Conan Doyle. It is our favourite book. Father bought me the first edition for my eleventh birthday and I read it to Tom ashis bedtime story over and over again. Why do I say this?Because we have just seen an Allosaurus the main predator in

the story!

We had gone out together, leaving Bruno tied up outside the time machine. (The dog wants to play all the time, so he slows usdown and gets in the way.) We were halfway up a low hill when

we heard a loud snarling noise in the distance. My blood rancold when the creature came into view. It was an enormously

powerful carnivore with the most terrifying set of teeth. I amglad the monster is far away now. I want to avoid another run-in

with a hungry meat eater!

What have we done? We have just returned to the time machine,and Bruno has gone! All that remains is a length of chewed-uprope. Tom reckons the Allosaurus has taken him. Poor Bruno!My eyes are full of tears as I write. What a terrible, terrible fate!

Tom and I were so upset, we did not speak to each other for therest of yesterday afternoon. We did not sleep well, either, andhave spent all of today moping around our camp. Leaving Bruno

was one of the biggest mistakes I have ever made in my life!

Afternoon

This Morning

Day 5


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Name: Allosaurus (pronounced Al-low-sore-us, mean Observations: Appears to be the most common predato The specimen I encountered walked on its two hind leg skull balanced by a long, heavy tail.

The Allosaurus has two blunt horns on his head, just abovethe eyes.

The Allosaurus has thrclaws on its forelegs. T me of the talons of antimes larger!

Allosaurus in pursuit of prey.


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Day 6 in the Jurassic Period Am I getting closer to Fathers special din

A Lucky EscaThe sun was rising and I was sitting on a rock, weeping quietlyover the loss of Bruno, when I became aware of a snorting noiseright behind me. I spun around and found myself looking rightinto the terrifying face of the Allosaurus! Despite its enormoussize and bulk, the monster had crept up right behind me withoutmy knowing. I jumped up and ran for my life!

Roaring furiously, the killer came after me. I imagined, bydodging and swerving, I might be able to avoid those cruel teethand talons at least until my breath ran out. But I did not bankon finding myself right at the edge of a precipice! I had nooption but to jump! I fell through some trees, banging my headon the branches, and that is the last thing I remember.

I came round, feeling pain in almost every part of my body.

Something soft had broken my fall. As I felt and smelt it aghastly realisation dawned on me. I had landed on a giganticmound of sauropod droppings!

Sliding down to the ground was the most disgusting thing Ihave ever done in my life. I became covered in foul-smellingdung. Choking and retching, I stumbled away from themountainous pile and was repeatedly sick.

When I recovered, I noticed many more of the giganticfootprints I had seen on my arrival. Maybe these are Amphicoelias droppings! Am I getting closer to Fathers specialdinosaur? If so, my revolting adventure will be worthwhile.

Morning

S h o p p in g l i st n ot e :E m e r g enc y f l a r e s m a y h av e p r ov e d u s e f u lt o d a y. A d d t o p r e p l i st f o r n ext t r i p.


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Tom was very relieved to see me as I stumbled back to camp.PHEW! You stink! he said, recoiling from giving me a hug.I went and had a (ice-cold) wash under a nearby waterfall and

put on some clean clothes. Then Tom made me relate my dung

adventure ten times in a row. It makes him cry with laughterevery time!

I think Tom is starting to regret coming on this journey. He misses Bruno terribly and does not havea scientific purpose to sustain him as I do. I mustgo and look for that little Othnielia. A dinosaur

pet would undoubtedly cheer him up.

Evening

Amphicoelias dr

Personal note: The Amphicoelias is Fathers favourite dinoletters about it with Edward Drinker Cope, the American first bone in 1877. If I could just see and record one of thewould be a dream come true.

A visit from this inquisitive dinosaurwould cheer Tom up no end. Othnie


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Day 9 in the Jurassic Period Tom and I had a perfect view of the creat

Peggy the SteI have spent the last few days bringing all the entries in my

journal up to date and finishing off the sketches and colour paintings. Part of me is very pleased with this work, but another part of me is saying, Why bother? Who is going to look at all this stuff in my journal?

Feeling tired from my exertions, I slept with some big fernscovering me, while Tom went exploring on his own. I was rudelyawakened when Tom came rushing back to say that there was adinosaur that I really must see!

It was a Stegosaurus! This has been my favourite dinosaursince I was a little girl. Father used to make up bedtime storiesabout one named Peggy. When he called her Peggy the Steggy,

I used to chuckle and clap my hands!This harmless plant eater, bristling with body armour, spent

ages drinking from a nearby stream. Tom and I had a perfect view of the creature and I was able to make detailedobservations and sketches of it.

The Stegosaurus walks with its back arched and its head close to the ground.

The distinctive footprint ofavourite dinosaur.

I miss Fatherterribly

Midday

Sunset


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Stegosaurus haveteeth designed to shear off vegetation. The food is then swallowed withoutchewing.

These tail spines are definitely for defence. The animal keeps its tail horizontal as it walks along, so it can swing from left to right. A blow from one of these sword-like spikes would be extremely painful - or fatal!

I used to think tha and spikes sticking

were simply forFathers notes poin also helped to con

body tem

Stegosaurus (pronounced Steg-oh meaning roof lizard) was abo

long and 4 metres tall. That the size of the motor omn

that stops in the villagetakes people into towtwice a week.

Tail spines. Specialised


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The savage Allosauthat Tom and I witn earlier today.

Diplodocus

Allosaurus are formidable when they hunt on their own. As a pack of threethey looked unstoppable.

A devasto the lethe Allo bring do

giant qu


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Tom and I woke this morning to find that our camp was in themidst of a passing herd of Diplodocus. Fearing that we may besquashed by the gigantic sauropods, we swiftly abandoned campand scrambled up a nearby rocky precipice. From our raised

viewing position we watched the Diplodocus herd feeding forover an hour.

The tranquillity was shattered by the appearance of three large Allosaurus. They had noticed that an ailing member of theherd had become slightly detached from the group. Unperturbed

by the threat of the Diplodocus thrashing tail, one of the predators grabbed its leg, severing the tendons and sending itcrashing to the ground. The other Allosaurus piled in to help

their hunting partner.

The hunt, from the moment the Allosaurus spotted their victim until they felled it, lasted just fifty seconds. Horrifically, the enormous Diplodocus took a further twenty minutes to die.

The Allosaurus jostled for position, as they chewed through the tough hide and clamped their jaws around the victims neckin an attempt to stop it breathing. The sound of the Diplodocusgargling and wheezing made my blood run cold, and the three

Allosaurus provided a chilling accompaniment of contentedgrunts and growls.

When they could feast no more they pulled away, their facescovered in blood. They quickly moved on to catch-up with theherd, no doubt to pick out their next unfortunate target.

Day 10 in the Jurassic Period The ferocity of the attack sickened me.

Allosaurus AttMidday


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54

W hat was left of the Diplodocus body lay on the ground,gnawed and bleeding. Tom was disgusted and went straight back

to camp. I felt sickened until my scientific attitude took overand I realised this was a chance to improve my knowledge of dinosaur anatomy and further my drawing and painting skills.So here is my special study of a dead Diplodocus that I have

entitled: Anatomy of a Kill.

Day 10 in the Jurassic PeriodI seized the chance to improve my knowledge o

Anatomy of a

Heart

LateAfternoon

Name: Diplodocus (pronounced Dip-plod-oh-cus andField notes and observations: Belongs with the other p dinosaurs that I recorded at the beginning of this Juras expedition. Of all the sauropods, Diplodocus is the besknown and the most widespread. It has a very long nec

and tail, as compared to the size of its body, and a particularly small head. I estimate that the specimen I observed was in the region of thirty metres in length.

Anatomy of a Kill


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I risked being out after nightfall to claim this most valuable

of treasures anArchaeopteryx feather.

Todays sighting has made this whole trip worthwhile. Lots of Archaeopteryx have just passed over our heads (we had previously observed only a few of these impressive creatures).

We were gathering our things together, preparing to gohome, when I noticed a dark shape approaching in the sky.Looking up, I would have sworn that a noisy flock of crows

(correction, a murder of crows) was gliding past. They wereabout the same size and shape as the modern birds, but were, infact, small meat-eating reptiles covered with feathers!

Having dropped everything that we were doing, I grabbedmy sketch pad and pencil and we raced after the flock. Our luck

was in! They chose to roost on a big bush level with a fern-covered outcrop of rock. From this perfect hide, Tom and I

were able to observe the animals, at first hand, for the wholeafternoon.

As a result, I made numerous detailed field notes andobservations, which have allowed me to produce this splendidentry in my journal. Even Tom admired my paintings. Usually,he just grunts and says Theyre all right.

Day 11 in the Jurassic Period Tom and I spent an enjoyable afternoon observi

Beasts in Flig W h at i s t h e g r o u p n a m e f o rA rc h a e o pt e r yx ?

An Archae in flight.


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Here is my sketch of the flying reptiles wing (below). I am not sure thesewings work as well as those of a modern bird. I never saw any of theArchaeopteryx flapping them and taking off. They seemed content to launch themselves from high places and glidefor long distances.

Fathers hero, the naturalist Charles Darwin, was inteIn his famous book The Origin of Species, he argue evolved from flying lizards. This creature seems to pr

The Archaeopteryx that I saw were about half a metre long. They had wide, rounded wings and a long tail. They were not pretty in the way many modern birds are pretty, but they were not unattractive either.

Archaeo(pronouArk-ee meaning


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With my heart beating wildly in my chest, I realised what wasgoing on. I was not in a forest at all. I was underneath a herd of sauropod dinosaurs. Were they Amphicoelias? Yes, they were! Istarted to dash back to the time machine to tell Tom and fetch myart things, but then I slowed down. There was no hurry. Thesecreatures were not going anywhere fast!

Back at camp, I found the little Othnielia and three of hisfriends pestering Tom for food. I was so keen to get on with mymission, I told him to give them the last of our supplies and come

with me.Tom and I spent one of the happiest afternoons of our lives in

the giants company. The Amphicoelias found themselves a feeding

ground of lush vegetation close by, so they were within touchingdistance. Tom gazed at them in wonder, his jaw dropping at their

truly awesome size. I was more practical, sketching and painting them as fast as I could. They are enormous! No wonder Father isso excited by this species. They are the most breathtaking sight Ihave ever seen!

Name: Amphicoelias (pronounced Am-fee-seel-ee-us and meaning double cavities).


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Bruno raced up and scattered the Othnielia in all directions.He was still alive and had come back to rescue us!

It all moved very fast after that. Tom bundled the dog into the cabin, thinking the blood on his hands was his own, while I

set the dial for home. For one agonising minute, the timemachine did not respond. Then it lifted off and we soon foundourselves back in the shed with the summer house clock showing

the exact time and date on which we had departed.Poor Bruno. He has been badly injured by the Othnielia

who scratched and pecked him viciously as he dispersed them.Tom and I took him straight to Mr Hutchins, our kindly local

vet, who patched him up and said he would soon recover.Has he been fighting with a pack of wild dogs? he asked.No, a pack of angry little dinosaurs, replied Tom without

thinking. Mr Hutchins looked at us both and laughed until the tears ran down his face, soaking his bushy, black beard.

Bruno sthe Oth

WHATA DAY! Im suddenly very tired and cannot sleep in my cosy WARM bed! Its good to be


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A comparative scale studyFollowing the success of my previous scale study same feat to mark the end of my Jurassic adventu seem possible that I have observed all of these cr

Reptiles of the Jur

Othnielia1 m long

(a dinosaur)

Stegosaurus9 m long

(a dinosaur)

Important note: m = metres and cm = centimetres.


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September 1st, 1915 There is a third age of dinosaurs that I have n

A Dreadful WO gh! What a week! Mama decided that I was run down andneeded a change of scenery. So, I have been away to the seasidefor a week with Cousin Millicent and Aunt Harriet! I darednot risk taking this journal away with me for fear that it would

be stolen and its secrets revealed. While were on the subject of secrets, that wretched Mr

Givens must have told Mama about my recent purchases. Shequestioned me about them over breakfast this morning. I mustconfess, I lied dreadfully to conceal the truth. I said that all thecamping equipment and supplies were a gift for the newScouting movement. I explained that I was a great believer in

the health benefits of the great outdoors, but I did not wantanyone to know about my charitable act and so kept quiet about

it. Mama was quite satisfied with this. As a vicars wife, she seesit as her role to help the poor.

One good thing has come out of this dreadful week. I haveresolved to go time-travelling with Tom again. According toFathers book, there is a third age of dinosaurs that I have not yet

visited. It is called the Cretaceous Period and it finished veryabruptly 65 MYA. Maybe I can find out why?

One final reflection on my trip to the seaside As I stood on the beach, looking out to sea, I thought that just over the horizonmen like my Father are fighting a war. Yet here we are, goingabout our business as if nothing is happening. I feel really upset

whenever I think about it

Note to Self:Must buynew supplies in town.Dont forgetto purchasean emergencyflare!


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Day 1 in the Cretaceous Perio65 million years ago.

Triceratops Sigh W e arrived safely in the late Cretaceous Period, 65 million years ago. We left at 6 am and the journey took over two hours.This is longer than ever before. The crystal is definitelymalfunctioning! I did not say anything to Tom, but I am veryanxious about getting home.

Our first sighting was a Triceratops. There is no mistaking this dinosaur, with three huge horns sticking out of its head and that colourful bony frill around its neck. The latter looks like aruff worn by an Elizabethan gentleman. I expect we shall seea lot more of these stocky plant eaters. They live in big herds,I believe.

Side profile of a muscular Triceratops.


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Triceratops (pronounced Try-serrthree-horned face).Field notes and observations: The great herds and can be easily ide skull, colourful neck frill and the protrude from its face. It is in the metres long.

The herd hierarchy appears to be sparring and a locking of head shcombatant yielding prior to serio place. I have yet to witness the p being used in these jousts. Fatherthat they may be used as a means Tyrannosaurs and other large pre

The skull, including the neck frill, is over two metres long and is used as a defensive shield.


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So far, my visit to the Cretaceous has been very rewarding. Yesterday, I saw a well-known duck-billed dinosaur. Today, I sawa different one. The scientific name for this group is hadrosaur.Both are very paintable. That is why these pages are given over

to portraits and notes about these two herbivorous creatures.Looking at my finished picture of the Parasaurolophus, it

reminds me of an ancient Egyptian carving of a Pharaoh.

Day 3 in the Cretaceous Perio These strange-looking creatures are very d

The Prof

Field notes:Pronounced Pah-rah-saw-roll- off-us and meaning near crested lizard, this strange-lookingcreature is even more distinctivethan Triceratops thanks to the

enormous bony crest that sticks out from the back of its head. This crest is two metres long.According to Fathers notes, itwas used for communication between the animals and for display by the males.

An adult, 13-metre-longParasaurolophus.

N ot e t o S e l f :Anc i ent E g y pt w o u l d b e a f a sc in at in g p l ac e t o v i s it in

m y t i m e m ac h in e!


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The second hadrosaur that I observed was even stranger thanPharaoh. This one reminded me of a professor with lots of

brains in a big, domed head, so my nickname for him is The Prof.The other special feature of this dinosaur is the long line of

spines down its back. They are very short and reach right down to its tail. They look like a very tiny Great Wall of China!

The Prof reared up on his strong back legs to eat the leavesfrom some bushes. We followed him as he wandered away on allfours. Then, as we saw the creature tending to some eggs on anesting site nearby, Tom chuckled: Look, Netty he is ashe! One of the eggs hatched out as we watched, and a

miniature Hypacrosaurus struggled into the world. It wasso sweet!

Hypacrosaurus (pronounced High-pah-kroe-sore-uss and mField notes and observations: The Hypacrosaurus is in the reIt has a toothless bill, followed by rows of teeth located in it Hypacrosaurus is very long and stiff and appears to be used as it moves. Like many other duck-bills, Hypacrosaurus hasthe top of its head. The melon-sized eggs that Tom and I sawcovered with earth and plant material.

Hypacrosaur


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Day 4 in the Cretaceous PerioA visit from a friendly creature livened up a

Uninvited Crea A small, bird-like dinosaur has started following Tom around ashe goes about his daily business. I told my brother to completelyignore the creature. After the dreadful ordeal with the Othnieliaon our last journey, we want no interaction with it at all.

We have tried to shoo this animal away on numerousoccasions today. It refuses to take no for an answer! The

creature is obviously very intelligent. Just now, we watched itusing a stone as a tool to crack open an egg.

Troodon (pronounced Trow-oh-don and meaning wounwould guess it is about two metres long and one metre ta reminds me of a small ostrich. It appears to have a thumb enables it to grip things in its claws.

Troodon(Fred)

He is so friendly! What can him? It will have to be Frethe moment. A suitable namno doubt occur.


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Day 5 in the Cretaceous PerioFred is now called Galahad, the bravest of Kin

Galahad E arlier today Fred rushed into our campsite, squawked at me,

pecked Tom on the ankle and ran off. Then he waited at the footof some nearby rocks, clucking impatiently. We would haveneeded to be very stupid not to understand that he wanted us tofollow him, so we did. We scrambled up a steep hill until wereached a flat area at the top of a big rock.

At first, nothing happened. Then I realised he had saved our lives! Suddenly, below us, a massive Tyrannosaurus burst out of the tall ferns and strode through the camp, flattening the tent

beneath its huge feet. Then the beast lookedall around, gave a terrifying roar and

marched on.

Field notes: The name says it all - Tyrannosaurus, pronouncedTie-ran-oh-saw-rus and meaning tyrant lizard. The onethat rampaged through camp

today was about 5 metres tall and 12 metres long. I could nottell if it was male or female - both must be equally terrifying! It has no natural predators and literally rules the Earth! Tyrannosauru


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Day 6 in the Cretaceous Perio How did Father know so much about dino

Pachycephalos

Pachycephalosaur(pronounced Pack-ee-seff-allo-sawthick-headed lizard). Observations: The dinosaurs in this bony skulls. They have short spikes either side of the bony dome coveri head and more spikes sticking up fr

Tom has a terrible cold! One moment he is burning hot, thenext moment he is shivering and shaking like a jelly. I want to

take him home, but he will not hear of it. He says he just wants to lie quietly in the tent until the fever passes.

Several herds of very unusual dinosaurs are passing by on the

plains. I must study them. I looked up the species in Fathers book and discovered that they are pachycephalosaurs. I did notknow what that meant until I found an explanation beside hisnotes. Not only do I think Father intended me to use his timemachine, he knew I would visit the age of the dinosaurs andexpected me to take his book as well!

Mid- morning

Afternoon

IM P O R T AN T N O T E :

H ow d i d F at h e r kn ow s o m uc h a b o ut d in o s a u r s ?

D i d h e u s e t h e t i m e m ac h in e t o v i s it t h e F U T U R E t o

g a in t h e kn ow l e d g e on w h ic h I n ow r e l y ?

A pachycephalosaur


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A ll night, I could not stop thinking about the third species thatI observed yesterday. The poor thing is in such danger, lying outin the open all on its own. I felt that I must go and see if it wasall right.

Tom said I was being ridiculous. How could I possibly helpa five-metre-long dinosaur with a head like a tombstone covered

in spikes?Leaving Tom still protesting, I returned to the scene and

found that the stricken creature was not there. Then I heard a terrible commotion. Looking across the plain in the oppositedirection, I saw my stricken creature struggling along while beingattacked by three smallish carnivores. Without Fathers book, Icould not tell what they were.

Day 7 in the Cretaceous PerioAll day long, the noise of battle rolledAlfred Tennyson.

A Brave Figh

I have identified the third species of pachycephalosaur as Sty-gimm-oh-lock and meaning horned devil from the

The brave fight!


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All day long, the noise of battle rolled, as my dear Tennysonsaid in his Idylls of the King. This brave Stygimoloch was notgoing to give up without a fight. Time after time, the pack of

predators attacked him and on each occasion, he repelled them.

He used his heavy, bony head with its ring of spikes to butt themin the stomach. In the end, they gave up and slunk away whilemy hero limped off to find his fellow beasts.

Not only have I witnessed and recorded a life-and-death prehistoric conflict, I have also established the function of the bony heads of these dinosaurs. They are used for self-defence by targeting vulnerable parts of a predator.

Name: Dromaeosaurus (pronounced Dro-mee-o-sawr-us and meaningfast-running lizard).Field notes and observations: The threefierce specimens that I observed were agile creatures with a large sickle-shaped killing claw on each back foot. They

worked together in an attempt to bring down the Stygimoloch and are obviouslyvery intelligent.

Detailed head of a Dromaeo

The lucky Stygimoloch


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Day 8 in the Cretaceous PerioA shock encounter with the largest flying rep

Reptile Attack

Detailed study of Quetzalcoatlus head and beak.

Tom awoke this morning feeling a lot better. He still gives theoccasional loud sneeze, but his fever has passed. He told me togo a bit further afield, to observe some different terrain, while hegot his strength back. He would accompany me on my nextexpedition.

A well-worn dinosaur trail led me down towards some

marshy wetlands near to the coast. Galahad followed just behindme, clucking like an anxious mother hen. The atmosphere grewincreasingly tropical as we approached some big lagoons, so Iimagined my little friend was complaining about the heat. How

wrong I was!Suddenly, out of the clear blue sky, the biggest flying reptile

I have ever seen swooped down towards us. Galahad pushed me

into some reeds, preventing the creature from gripping me in its talons. To my horror, it returned and picked up Galahad!

G a l a h a d h a s b e en m yc on st ant

c o m p an i on.

Name: Quetzalcoatlus (pronounced luss and named after an Aztec god

serpent Quetzalcoatl). Field notes a This creature is one of the largest flyi

time. I estimate its wingspan must be of 12 to 15 metres. It was a truly awe it glided overhe


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Day 9 in the Cretaceous Perio This time it was Toms turn to act foolish

Face from HeL ast night a new star appeared in the night sky. It was much

brighter than any of the other stars around it. It looked very beautiful. As I sat, gazing up at its dazzling light, Galahad cameover and rested his head on my knee. It was a magical moment.

Tom was fine after another good nights sleep, so we both went to explore some woodland in search of other herbivore

dinosaurs. Galahad, as usual, came tagging along behind. Yet this little expedition triggered a sequence of terrible events from which we have not yet recovered.

Maybe writing it all down in this journal will help me come to terms with what has happened. Then perhaps I can be of comfort to my brother.

There were no plant-eating dinosaurs in these woods.

This seemed strange because there was an abundance of food allaround. The reason soon became clear. Right in the middle of

the woodland was a large T-rex nest.

Last night a bright new star appeared in the night sky.


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The trapped b

This time, it was Toms turn to act foolishly. Despite myrepeated warnings and Galahads shrieks of protest, Tom sneakedover to the nest and collected a sliver of shell from a broken egg.He wanted it as a souvenir. It got lost in the ensuing nightmare.

We were about to return to camp when we heard a loudsquealing noise coming from a thick copse close behind us. Itsounded like an animal in trouble and I wanted to investigate,

but Galahad would not let me. He pecked me really hard to prevent me going any closer. Fool that I am, this only made memore determined to know what was wrong, so I pushed himroughly aside and strode into the copse.

In the clearing, I found a baby T-rex with its tail caught by afallen branch. It was trapped, and its cries of pain andfrustration were heart-rending. With Galahad squawking at me

like a mad turkey, I told Tom to help me shift the heavy branch.It was almost beyond our strength, but somehow we managed to lift it sufficiently for the little Tyrannosaurus to struggle free.

Then we both looked up and found ourselves staring into aface from hell!

- account continued on n


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It was the mother T-rex! She had arrived in response to herinfants distress cries and thought we were responsible forcausing them! She bellowed at us in fury.

For once in my life, I did not panic. Keep perfectly still, I whispered to Tom. Dont move a muscle or utter a sound. So we stood there, like a pair of petrified statues, with the monstersniffing all around us. I thought our plan was going to work

because the killer started to move away from us. Then Tom gaveone of his explosive sneezes! The T-rex rounded on us in a flash.Grandmama had always said that colds could be life-threatening

but I dont think she imagined anything like this!Everything happened in a blur after that. I saw the ghastly

creature open her enormous jaws, ready to eat us both alive. Iclosed my eyes, steeling myself against the searing pain. But itdid not happen! Instead, Galahad threw himself forward and

pushed the two of us out of the way. Then I saw his little form being picked up in the killers mouth, pumping blood in all

directions as he was bitten in half.The brief diversion allowed us to make our escape. Tom andI ran faster than we ever thought possible, dashing through the

thin trees with the bellowing T-rex thundering after us. As weran, I vowed to go home at the first opportunity if it arose!

Suddenly, the adult T-rex called off the chase and left usalone. Maybe her baby was calling again or she spotted some

other prey. Whatever the reason, we charged into camp and leapt into the time machine, slamming and locking the door behind us. Then we clung onto each other, alternately trembling with shock and weeping at the heroic sacrifice of our brave littledinosaur friend.

- continued from previous page


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Special note: Telling the story has helped me to cope w painted this picture of my mighty assailant in the hope horrible episode.

Tyrannosaurus rex -the face from hell!

The dagger-like teeth that tore intoGalahad were 15 cm in length.

Field notes and observations: The Tyrannosaurus rex is the largest known terrestrial cFathers notes, an adult was in the region of twelve me and could weigh more than seven tonnes. Although Tothe beast by remaining still, the notes reveal that T-rex and a powerful sense of smell. If this is true, I can onlfearsome predator was distracted by our strange humanfoolhardy attempt to remain motionless. Based on my species, I can confirm the entry that states the T-rex w ambush predator.


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W hen Tom and I had regained our composure, I set the timedial and pushed the switch. Nothing happened! The greencrystal glowed a little and the time machine shook slightly, butfailed to lift off. Clearly, it did not have enough power to raiseitself off the ground. Today, I cannot help but wonder, Are westranded here for the rest of our lives?

I weep whenever I think about Galahad or our own terrible predicament. I am no help to poor Tom. Quite the opposite. Heremains resolutely cheerful and keeps saying, Dont worry, sis,something will turn up. Bless him. Deep down inside, he must

be really frightened. No further entries today.

Something has occurred which has slightly restored our spirits.During one of the thunderstorms, which happen almost daily, a

tree close to the time machine was struck by lightning. Watching the enormous power of the lightning, a thought occurred to me.Perhaps the crystal needs an occasional electrical charge to keepit fully active. So maybe if our powerless ship was struck by

lightning

We spent the afternoon clearing vegetation and foliage fromaround the time machine to expose it as fully as possible. I amaware that the odds against a successful strike are millions toone, but at least it gives us a smattering of hope. I pray that my

theory is correct!

Stuck in the Cretaceous PerioAre we stranded here for the rest of our li

A Slim Hope

Day 14

Day 10

Day 11


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J ust as we were beginning to recover our composure, we heardit again the hideous bellowing of the Tyrannosaurus rex!Neither of us can face another encounter with this terriblecreature, so we are moving to higher ground to make absolutelysure we keep out of danger.

The view from our new camp is magnificent. After falling asleep,I woke up to see a strange-looking ceratopcian wandering past

Day 16 in the Cretaceous Perio Tom and I feel unbearably lonely and hom

Impending Do

Name: Leptoceratops Pronunciation:Leapt-oh-serra-topsMeaning of name: Lean-horned face Habitat: Southern states of North America Diet: Ferns, cycads and conifers. Size: About 2 metres Weight: Anywhere between 50 to 150 kilograms Notes: It walks on all four legs, but can stand on its backfive clawed fingers on each hand. Its mouth is shaped lik

Morning

3.30pm

I d o n ot t h ink t h at T o m an d Iw i l l g o t i m e -t r av e l l in g a g a in.


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Evening

The strange star bathes the day in a most peculiar light.

just below us. I spent two hours sketching and painting thecreature, who kept reasonably still as it gnawed its way througha bank of lush green ferns, biting them off one by one with itssharp, parrot-like bill.

The world is bathed in an eerie light from that strange star. Ithas grown even bigger than before and now shines like themoon. Even the dinosaurs appear to have noticed it. Tom and I

watched a whole herd of Triceratops wander into the valley below. They appeared nervous. Perhaps it is this strange light,


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W e awoke from a fitful sleep to the sound of roaring and bellowing from the plain below. No wonder the herd of Triceratops looked nervous last night they were being stalked

by predators! A battle between the armour-plated herbivoresand the fast-moving carnivores was in full swing and my

brother and I had a grandstand view!

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Day 17 in the Cretaceous PeriWe watched the conflict in all its gory d

In Cold Bloo D in o s a u r s a r e fa s c in a t in g c r e a t u r e s, b u tt h e y l iv e in a w

o r l d ev en

m o r e d an g e r o u s an d

v i o l en t t h an o u r own.

Sunset


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September 2nd, 1915 A miraculous sequence of events.

A Dramatic Re W e are back safely in our own time! Five days have passedsince the last entry in my journal. During that period, Tom and Ireturned from the Cretaceous Period in the most dramatic wayimaginable. In fact, it is a miraculous sequence of events that,from the tranquil safety of my beloved summer house, I can nowchronicle in full

The strange star now filled the sky like a second moon. It gaveme a terrible sense of foreboding. It felt as if the end of the

world was nigh.

A large herbivorous dinosaur passed by our camp and paused toswallow some leaves from a young cottonwood tree. Its size and

shape reminded me of the big sauropod dinosaurs that I saw in the Jurassic Period. I sketched it quickly, vowing to look up thecreature when I had more time. In fact, I had plenty of time. It

was that weird star that made me feel as if everything had to bedone in a hurry.

Day 18

Day 19

A peg-shaped tooth from an Alamosaurus.


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It dawned on me that the star was in fact a meteor and a bigone at that hurtling towards Earth at breakneck speed. Fatherhad told me about the worldwide devastation these can cause.Realising we were in mortal danger, I rushed back to the time

machine and bundled Tom inside. Would the crystal haveregenerated? I prayed so with all my heart.It had not! We tried repeatedly to leave this scene of

impending disaster, but on each occasion the time machinestruggled and failed to get itself off the ground.

Day 20

Alamosaurus (pronounced Ah-la-mo-saur-russ and mlizard). This creatures peg-shaped teeth were no goodwas swallowed whole and broken down in the stomach

P.T

Alamosaurus


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K ept wondering if, or when, the meteor would hit Earth. Tomkept asking why I was so impatient for it to strike. He argued

that until it did, we would remain alive! He can be very wise in acrisis, my little brother.

Tom and I remained in the camp all day. Decided to spend the

night in prayer, like medieval knights holding a vigil beforea great battle the next day. Lasted about twenty minutes.Both fell asleep.

The terrible moment arrived while we were still asleep!Tom and I were woken by a blinding white light, followedswiftly by an unbearable heat. Seconds later, we were throwninto the air like puppets.

The super-heated blast, caused by the impact of the meteor,had thrown our time machine high into the air, engulfing us inflames! We were off the ground!

With my heart threatening to burst through my chest Ifrantically set the dial to 1915 AD and pushed the switch. As theflames seared our time machine, we heard the familiar rushingnoise and felt the wonderful sensation of the machine speeding

up ready to travel through time. We were making our escape! We were saved!

As we departed, I looked through the porthole window forone last glimpse at the prehistoric world. What I saw will beetched on my mind for the rest of my days. It was a scene of utter devastation, far worse than anything Father had ever

September 2nd, 1915 The world seemed to be lit like a stage

Moment of ImpDay 21

Day 22

- continued


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envisaged. I cannot begin to describe all that I saw in that one brief moment.

Once again, the summer house clock resumed ticking as Tomand I emerged from the scorched time machine. Nobody knows

where we have been, what we have done and how close we have both been to death except you, my dear Journal.

My illustrati

apocalyptic

Explanatory note:With the diminished power of the crystal, our craft could not g

off the ground by itself - but the disaster did the job for us!

It is harrowing to think that the wonderful creatures I obse expedition would have perished in the furnace-like heat.


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See Flap Spreads for page 92

92

A comparative scale study This is the final illustration of my adventures in thI hope to share my field notes and observations o

Earths history with Father when he returns f

Reptiles of the Creta

Parasaurolophus 13 m long(a dinosaur)

Hypacrosaurus 12 m long(a dinosaur)

A flock of avian dinosaurs 30 cm wingspan (approx)

(birds)

Nanotyrannus 6 m long

(a dinosaur)

Leptoceratops 2 m long(a dinosaur)

Stegoceras - 2 m long (a dinosaur) Dromaeosaur

Important note: m = metres andcm = centimetres.


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See Flap Spreads for page 93

Quetzalcoatlus 14 m wingspan(a pterosaur)

Alamosaurus

30 m long(a dinosaur)

Triceratops 9 m long

(a dinosaur)

Ankylosaurus - 10m long (a dinosaur) Troodon - 2 m lon

Tyranno12 m l(a dinoPachycephalosaurus 6 m long

(a dinosaur)

Stygimoloch - 5 m long (a dinosaur)


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Tom has promised never to breathe a word of our adventures to anyone. He, like me, wants to recover from his ordeal and isnot pestering to go anywhere again. Every now and then, I catchhim smiling at me and I know he is relishing our special secret.It has drawn us very close together.

Earlier today, Uncle George took me to see an exhibition of Egyptian relics. They are on tour. The organiser, Mr HowardCarter, is trying to raise money for a new excavation in the

Valley of the Kings. He hopes to find the tomb of the boy-kingTutankhamen, but I doubt if he will succeed where so manyothers have failed.

Aunt Harriet and Cousin Millicent were at this exhibition.They have a motor car! They insisted on giving Uncle Georgeand myself a lift home in it though, with Aunt Harriet driving,it is a miracle we got home alive. Millicent is very proud of theirmotor car and insisted on honking the horn at every opportunity.How vulgar can you get?

I went to the library in town today and borrowed some books onancient Egypt. They were quite interesting, but lacked anydecent illustrations. I would like to see more of this exciting andcolourful world. Perhaps I should go there myself

Sep 5th

I have fallen in love Egypt! The relics and display were so beauUncle George is haplife learning about th

Sep 4th Evening


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September 6th, 1915 This is where we must part company, deares

Goodbye, my F Y es! That is what I shall do during the Christmas holidays!I am sure that another term of schoolwork, combined with my

tedious home life, will be enough to make me brave the dangersonce again. Tom can come with me. It cannot possibly be ashazardous as visiting prehistory, with its savage array of giant

bloodthirsty predators.

This is where we must part company, dearest Journal. You are full and I have nothing more to write on the subject of dinosaurs. I shall call you A Time-Travellers Field Notes andObservations of Dinosaurs to give you a scientific-sounding

title, and then hide you away in the summer house for Father orfuture generations to read. Goodbye, my friend. I shall miss you.

You have been such a faithful companion!


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A Time Traveller's Field Notes and Observations of DINOSAURS

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