Tombstone Epitaph

April 26, 1890

FOUND IN THE DESERT

A STRANGE WINGED MONSTER DISCOVERED AND KILLED ON THE HUACHUCA
DESERT

A winged monster, resembling a huge alligator with an extremely
elongated tail and an immense pair of wings, was found on the desert
between the Whetsone and Huachuca mountains last Sunday by two ranchers
who were returning home from the Huachucas. The creature was evidently
greatly exhausted by a long flight and when discovered was able to fly
but a short distance at a time. After the first shock of wild amazement
had passed, the two men, who were on horseback and armed with Winchester
rifles, regained sufficient courage to pursue the monster and after an
exciting chase of several miles succeeded in getting near enough to open
fire with their rifles and wounding it.

The creature then turned on the men, but owing to its exhausted
condition they were able to keep out of its way and after a few well
directed shots the monster partly rolled over and remained motionless.
The men cautiously approached, their horses snorting with terror,
and found that the creature was dead. They then proceeded to make an
examination and found that it measured about ninety-two feet in length
and the greatest diameter was about fifty inches. The monster had only
two feet, these being situated a short distance in front of where the
wings were joined to the body.

The head, as near as they could judge, was about eight feet long,
the jaws being thickly set with strong, sharp teeth. Its eyes were as
large as a dinner plate and protruded about half way from the head. They
had some difficulty in measuring the wings as they were partly folded
under the body, but finally got one straightened out sufficiently to get
a measurement of seventy-eight feet, making the total length from tip to
tip about 160 feet. The wings were composed of a thick and nearly
transparent membrane and were devoid of feathers or hair, as was the
entire body. The skin of the body was comparatively smooth and easily
penetrated by a bullet.

The men cut off a small portion of the tip of one wing and took it
home with them. Late last night one of them arrived in this city for
supplies and to make the necessary preparations to skin the creature,
when the hide will be sent east for examination by the eminent
scientists of the day. The finder returned early this morning
accompanied by several prominent men who will endeavor to bring the
strange creature to this city before it is mutilated.

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