Book excerpt: Beasts of Antiquity explores our ever-changing views about the animals of the prehistoric world - how they were related, how they looked, and how they lived. Stem-Birds In the Solnhofen Limestone details the fossil bird-line archosaur species known the Solnhofen Archipelago of Bavaria. From their history of princes, duchesses, and conquring armies, to the diversity of these spectaculrly preserved fossils, Stem-Birds In the Solnhofen Limestone brings the world of these ancient creatures to life. Featuring full-color illustrations of each species as well as photographs and historical reproductions, Stem-Birds In the Solnhofen Limestone offers a complete summary of the history, geology, and state-of-the-art paleontology of the bird lineage in one spectacular Jurassic ecosystem.