Soundly Sleeping Dragon in Chinese

Mei long, which means "soundly sleeping dragon" in Chinese, is the newest of several recent dinosaur fossil discoveries in northern China. The fossil suggests that the dinosaur slept in a position similar to that of modern-day birds, paleontologists say.

John Roach
for National Geographic News

October 13, 2004

Paleontologists have discovered a duck-size dinosaur they believe died while catching some z's. Researchers found the creature's fossilized remains curled up with its head tucked under a forelimb, a pose that today is unique to sleeping and resting birds.
Photograph and illustration courtesy Mick Ellison/AMNH