Othniel Charles Marsh, a leading American paleontologist and central figure in the 'Bone Wars,' discovered the first pterosaur fossils in North America. These flying reptiles were found in the chalk deposits of Kansas, a region that was once a vast inland sea. Marsh's discovery expanded the known range of these ancient creatures and contributed to the growing understanding of the Mesozoic fauna of the American West.

The discovery of pterosaurs in America added to the collection of strange and wonderful creatures from the prehistoric past, fueling public and literary fascination with the 'age of reptiles.' The idea of giant, flying reptiles inhabiting the skies over the ancient American plains has inspired poets and writers to imagine the landscapes of a lost world. The pterosaur has become a recurring image in literature and poetry, a symbol of the sublime and the alien nature of deep time.