ICHTHYOSAURIA

From Websters Dictionary:
Ichthyosaur -(derived from Gk ichthy + sauros lizard-more at saurian)
any of an order of Ichthyosauria of
extinct marine reptiles with fish-shaped body and elongated snout. 

This fossil is estimated to weigh over 3 tons
it rests on a cement pad
The scale or crevices on the top
have eroded away and the top is fairly smooth.

Half Fish, Half Lizard, near Pinto?
Ichthyosaurs or ‘fish lizards’, were dolphin-like marine Reptiles
with fins and a vertical tail.
They lived from the Early Triassic through to the Late Cretaceous Period.
This Marine Reptile existed along the banks of the Souris River
and fossilized remains have been found near Shand,
and also near Roche Percee.
It was NOT a Dinosaur as I used to think.
I thought it looked like an Alligator with the long nose
and all the teeth, but see now why I thought that
Lizard shaped heads, Fish like body,
and a tail made these reptiles fierce looking.
It had deep crevices on the top of its body
which might have been scales.
They looked like mammals of today,
but were Reptiles instead.
These reptiles couldn't "walk" on ground, so it amazes me
how they got to the spot, where I seen it.
That little creek, the Souris River, was one heck of an ocean!

The Red Dot indicates to the best of my memory
the location of the specimen described above
This is a copy of a 1927 map

I remember as a kid being taken to this fossil
many times by my Dad, as well as going a few times
with the Cub and Scout troops, he was leader of.
We would always go to the site by Pinto.

The Fossil was located on a short trail from the main road,
before heading south out of the valley, 
and on the east side of this road.
For years I was told, the Natural History Museum in Regina
finally came and got this specimen,
before it was totally vandalized. 
Over the years the head, tail and
even the fins were disappearing as souvenirs.
Human beings just can't seem to leave things alone
for the next generation to see them.
We have to break it apart, and put pieces on our
mantels at home, to brag what a treasure we have.
It only serves as a trophy to their ignorance!
I will remember these visits to this fossil till I die.
They must have been quite the reptile back 
between 135 and 225 million years ago
Wished I would have taken a picture on my first visit
never mind my last!

Overhead view  showing 2 side fin locations	Tail View  showing where the vertical tail has been broken off, and removed
	Side view, Tail section to right Side fin locations are visible here

I found out in Apr 2003 where this fossil was
taken for safe keeping.
In 2003 it was in the yard of Clarence Jahn,
just east of Roche Percee.
I took these pictures May 2003.
it was a real treat to see this specimen again,
after almost 40 years!
Thanks to Clarence Jahn for saving the Fossil.
Sad to say Clarence passed away,
so now I am not sure who owns this property.
It is a must see, if your in the area.
Please respect the yard and property!
A big Thank-you after your visit would
be appreciated I am sure.
If the privilege is abused,
a gate will be installed to prevent further viewing.
Please respect the permission to view.
 

Reading some old newspaper articles,
I found out a fellow from Winnipeg / California? came through
this area, and removed whatever he could carry in the way of fossils.
He tried to get museums interested in going in
and getting these fossils as well.

Here is the story of Mr. G. L. Dodds,
in Pinto, last 6 months of 1912.

If you know exactly the name and origins of this man
please let me know.
until then, my guess is below.

I found a George L. Dodds in 1901 census
living in Brandon as a Store Keeper
b- Apr 27, 1854 in ON
Irish, Presbyterian
was this him?

1881 he was married to Elizabeth E. Dodds,
b- ca1852 in ON, Irish Methodist
both living at Artemesia, Grey East, ON
George shown as Irish, Presbyterian, Occupation- Miller.

George Livingston Dodds
took out a land grant on
E Section 20, Township 17, Range 9, W2

1895-1898 Reeve of RM of Arthur,
Melita MB is in the middle of this RM

In 1906, in Wiinipeg, a George Livingston Dodds
wrote a book?
"The Last West: the Latest Gift of the Lady Bountiful"

Article below from Sept 9, 1912.
Here we learn Mr. Dodds is a possible American,
from California, or was a Canadian working there.
Described as a Naturalist,
 he predicted the finding of Oil in the area.
2 parts below


On a trip Aug 2009
I now see a new oil rig almost on the same place
 described almost 100 years ago here

Oct 10, 1912
Here he claims the mound builders
got their clay here in Pinto.

Article below from Nov 1, 1912
Looks like he bought section around Pinto.

Article below from Dec 7, 1912
Pictures below are from the article,
quality is poor at best.
Would be nice to find a relative of Mr. Dodds today.
Looks like he removed lots of fossils from the Pinto area
to Winnipeg.
The article talks about a race of people,
called Mound Builders,
who lived in North America at this time,
and claim fossils of their skeletons were found.
http://asms.k12.ar.us/armem/hopper/builders.htm
Actually ancestors of the Native American people
who built mounds.

He found a fossil of a Conger Ell, 6ft long.
with a girth of 10 inches.
Ells like this were only found in southern California before this.
Also he found the skull of a Wart Hog, in perfect condition.
He also collected many mastodon teeth.
Many pieces of petrified wood, and freak fossils, not identified.
A Greenstone Axe was found,
 and with it were chipped flint arrowheads.
and was credited to men of the glacial period.

Great fossil tree was found at Gordon Rapids. Pinto
Part visible above the ground is 7ft in diameter.

A Plesiosaurus Dolichodeirus was also found.
It was also a Sea creature with an enormous long neck, and short tail.
He found this specimen about 1/4 mile from Roche Percee.
Length 30 ft, circumference 5 ft at the neck, 11 ft at the trunk.
(from the article) It roamed thru the swamps and inland seas
of this continent, during the Triassic period.
Then adapted themselves to sea life in the Jurassic age,
taking on a tortoise form.
In life the fossil below had 2 rows or horny hackles,
along it's back.  He found one hackle at the site,
it was 38 inches long, and rose 20 inches from the spine.
This description was from Dr. F. V. Perry of Roche Percee.
It was found in the strata from the Lias to the White Chalk.
Now here he describes the tail as long as the body, with bony armour.
The other descriptions of this creature say short tail?
The body carried 2 powerful paddles, or flappers.
The teeth of the monster were sharp, conical and re-curved.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plesiosaurus


Clasoselache Fyleri- (from the article) a great Shark
that inhabitated the Paleozoic seas, in the Mississipian
or Carboniferous period. 
Found on property of Joseph Balison,
the Circle B Ranch, in Gordon Canyon, near Pinto.
13 ft 2in. long without the tail, which had broken off,
with a 28 inch girth, at it's widest part.

Photo below from
 the American Museum of Natural History in New York

After he made the discoveries, he tried many times,
to get museums interested in saving these fossils.
A museum in New York was interested,
and to stop that move, he wrote to the Royal Ontario Museum,
after failing in Manitoba to get this done.

Sept 1, 1922
Mr. Dodds claims the Souris River Valley is the old sea bottom
and predicts a big oil field there.
He was a student of geology for 30 years.
Royal Ontario Museum is sending Prof. Sternberg
to investigate the fossils.
Here he mentions Mr. Walter Langtry of Roland MB
and credits him for the discoveries.
all on Section 25, 26 and Balison's farm
Joseph Balison's homestead was
 SW Sec 22, Tsp 1, Rge 6, W2
Mr. Balison, his mother Hannah,
and a Harvey John Balison, all owned land in this area.
Joseph is shown as a farmer in 1911, born in PEI

Looking for homesteads in Section 25 and 26,
 I found this name, Neil Thomas MacMillan
 in Section 26, with mineral rights.
If you look in the ad below,
he is partnered up with Mr. Dodds.
A Joseph Rinn also had mineral rights on part of Section 26.
The Railroads owned all of Section 25.

May 21, 1913
Now he is selling farming equipment.
with Mr. MacMillan in Winnipeg.

He at least did try and keep the fossils in Canada.
He even brought in a famed Professor to check the fossils over.
What happened after that is a mystery.

An Old Postcard, date unknown
labelled Petrified Shark
donated to me by Mrs Jean Dornian, Liberty SK