- Hello, folks.
It's me, the conductor.
Today, buddy, tiny, and cindy travel back to the jurassic
To meet an early mammal that lays eggs!
So come on along with me
On the dinosaur train.
All aboard!
- ♪ Dinosaur train ♪
[Train whistle toots]
- ♪ Once upon a time ♪
♪ There was a mom ♪
♪ Her name was mrs. Pteranodon ♪
♪ Sitting on her nest ♪
♪ She heard a scratch and then said ♪
- Oh, boy, my eggs are hatching!
- ♪ One by one, her kids popped free ♪
♪ Baby pteranodons, one, two, three ♪
- I'll name you tiny, shiny, and don.
- ♪ But tiny said ♪
- Wait, there's one more, mom.
- ♪ The last little baby ♪
♪ Was a different size ♪
♪ With teeth and a tail ♪
♪ And big green eyes ♪
♪ He didn't look anything ♪
♪ Like the rest ♪
- What am I doing in a pteranodon nest?
- ♪ But dear old mrs. Pteranodon said ♪
- Oh, this is your family, and I'm your mom.
You may be different, but we're all creatures.
All dinosaurs have different features.
Come on, buddy. We'll take a vacation.
I'll get us a ticket at pteranodon station.
We'll travel the world in sunshine and rain
And meet all the species on the...
- ♪ Dinosaur train ♪
- ♪ Dinosaur train ♪
- ♪ Dinosaur train ♪
- ♪ Dinosaur train ♪
- ♪ We're gonna ride ♪
- ♪ Ride, ride, ride, ride ♪
[Train whistle toots]
- ♪ The dinosaur train ♪
- [Roaring]
- [Snoring]
[Laughter]
- Okay, cindy, it's your turn to play
The "if I was" game.
- [Clearing throat]
If I was a pteranodon,
I would fly through the air.
[Squawks]
Ta-da!
- Very good.
Okay, my turn.
If I was a cimolestes,
I'd run right up this tree
And then back down again!
[Squawks]
- [Chattering]
My turn!
If I was a pteranodon,
I would dive straight into the sea!
[Squawks]
[Panting]
Ta-da!
- My turn!
If I was a cimolestes,
I'd eat a big, delicious fish for lunch.
Mmm.
- Bleh!
Sorry, tiny,
But I don't like fish at all.
- You don't like fish?
But other cimolestes must like fish, right?
- Um, I don't think there's a single cimolestes
That likes fish, tiny.
- [Gasps]
- See, we're mammals,
And mammals are land animals,
So we don't go in the water.
We eat food we find on the land, like bugs!
- But there's so many kinds of creatures, cindy.
There must be some mammal somewhere
That likes the water and eats fish.
- Hmm, I bet I know a way we could find out.
- Really?
How, buddy?
- We could ask the conductor
On the dinosaur train.
He knows practically everything.
- Oh, buddy, that's a great idea!
Come on, cindy.
Dad!
Can we go to the dinosaur train?
We have a question for the conductor.
- Well, can't you just ask me?
I know quite a lot of things too, you know.
- Okay.
Are there any mammals in the mesozoic
That like to eat fish?
- Hmm.
Okay, I don't know the answer to that one.
Let's go ask the conductor. Both: yeah!
- Oh, cindy,
Would you like to come along with us?
- Uh... [Titters]
I don't know, mr. Pteranodon.
I've been on the dinosaur train,
And it's so big!
And it's fast!
[Squeaks]
- But what if we find a mammal that loves fish?
Wouldn't you want to meet it?
- Oh, gosh, you're right, tiny.
That would be incredible.
All right, I'll do it!
- [Chuckles] to the dinosaur train!
- [Gulps] don't look down.
Don't look down. Don't look down.
- How you doing, cindy?
- I'm--i'm--i'm okay.
How are you doing?
- [Laughs] I'm great!
We're going on a fishing trip.
- Plus, we get to search for a new species--
A mammal that eats fish--
And ride the dinosaur train.
[Sighs]
Life is good.
[Train whistle toots]
- Tickets!
Tickets, please.
Both: hello, mr. Conductor!
- Hello, pteranodon family and--well, bless me!
If it isn't cindy cimolestes.
Greetings.
- Ah, hello.
- Where are you all headed today?
- We brought cindy along
To ask you a question, mr. Conductor!
- Yeah, since you know practically everything.
- [Chuckling] well, gosh, now, buddy.
I don't know everything.
Just quite a bit. - Right.
Our question is,
Is there a mammal anywhere in the mesozoic
That loves to eat fish?
- Ooh, a mammal that loves fish?
Oh, tiny, sometimes you ask some tough ones.
- [Chuckles]
Kids, I think you may have finally stumped the conductor.
- Ah, ah, not so fast, mr. Pteranodon.
I remember an amazing creature from way back in the jurassic.
A fur-covered, web-footed, egg-laying early mammal
Called castorocauda
That lives both on land and in the water
And loves fish.
- [Squawks]
Cindy, I was right!
- Oh, wait, wait.
Did you say a mammal that lays eggs?
I thought only dinosaurs lay eggs.
- Actually, cindy, many animals lay eggs.
Snakes, amphibians, dinosaurs...
- And pterosaurs.
- Gosh, how exciting.
I can't wait to meet a castorocauda.
It sounds like the most amazing creature!
- Wait till you get a load of this!
Kids: ooh.
- It looks like it's about my size.
- And covered with fur, like you.
- But look at those feet.
They remind me of fish fins a little.
It looks like castorocauda is made for swimming.
- Exactly, miss tiny.
Castorocauda is a land animal that is adapted for swimming.
See its big, flat tail
And how its hands and feet are webbed?
Those features help it swim faster.
And it's true that most mammals live on land,
But some are comfortable living on land and in water,
Like castorocauda,
Which is what we call an aquatic mammal.
All: an aquatic mammal.
- I can't wait to meet one!
- Well, it won't be long,
'Cause we're about to enter a time tunnel!
Time tunnel approaching!
- Time tunnel?
Oh, dear.
I'm not sure I like the sound of that!
[Shimmering tone]
- Don't worry, cindy.
This part of the trip only takes a minute.
We'll be in the jurassic in no time.
[Bell dinging]
- Castorocauda corners station, in the jurassic time period.
Just follow that path down to the lake.
If there's a castorocauda around,
It would be there fishing, most likely.
Good luck!
[Together] thanks, mr. Conductor!
Bye!
Kids: whoa!
- It's beautiful.
[Gasps] I wonder how deep it is.
- I can't wait to dive in and see!
- Some of us don't really swim, tiny.
- Some of us have never even been in the water!
- Yeah, why don't we search along the shore
For a castorocauda first?
Maybe we'll find a nest.
All: okay!
- [Gasps]
Hey, everyone!
Look what I found!
Both: ooh, a nest!
- Think they're castorocauda eggs?
- Well, it would take a castorocauda to tell for sure.
- [Sighs] but there's no castorocauda.
Dad, I'm getting tired of looking.
- Hmm, you know what I do when I'm tired?
I take a break and go fishing.
- [Squawks]
Yeah, and we can also look for a castorocauda while we fish.
- Let's go, team.
- But what will I do, buddy?
I don't know anything about fishing.
- That's no problem.
When we fish, we're all part of the team.
You can help me!
Come on.
See, we're the spotters.
We look for fish and then--
I see some!
Over there!
[Whooshing, splashing]
- Yeah!
- [Muffled shouting]
- What did you say?
- [Gulps]
I said, "no castorocauda!"
- Well, it's a big lake, tiny, and deep.
If at first you don't succeed, try again!
[Whooshing and splashing]
- Dad! Dad, buddy, cindy!
I found it!
Hello, my name is tiny.
Are you a castorocauda?
- [Crunching, gulping]
Oh, excuse me.
Mouthful of fish.
Yes, my name is cassie castorocauda.
- Hi, cassie!
We've come all the way
From the cretaceous time period to find a castorocauda!
Would you mind coming to the shore?
- Hello, buddy and mr. Pteranodon and cindy.
- Uh, hello.
- So you're a mammal too?
- Yes, I'm a cimolestes.
I live in a tree.
- Cassie, do you mind if we compare features?
It's kind of my favorite thing to do.
- Sure, buddy.
Let's compare the mammals first.
I have this big flat tail that helps
To push me through the water.
- And I have this little skinny tail,
I guess 'cause I don't swim at all.
- Buddy, I see that you and I have lots of sharp teeth.
Mine are for grabbing at fish
And keeping them from wiggling away.
- It's pretty interesting that pteranodons have no teeth,
And you've got a mouthful.
- Yeah!
Aah. - Aah.
- I'm a t. Rex, so I like meat best,
But since I live in a nest full of pteranodons,
I guess I've learned to like fish.
- I love fish!
I even have a song about it!
- [Gasps] wait.
You have a song about how much you love fish?
So do i!
♪ If I could wish ♪
♪ For just one dish ♪
♪ My greatest wish ♪
♪ Would be more... ♪
[Together] fish!
- [Laughs]
That's great!
Here's mine.
[Acoustic guitar music]
♪ I dive into the water ♪
♪ When I'm ready for a treat ♪
♪ I wiggle with my big, flat tail ♪
♪ And kick with my webby feet ♪
♪ And then I catch a lovely fish ♪
♪ My favorite thing to eat ♪
[Applause]
- Wow, a flat-tailed, web-footed mammal that loves fish.
Now I've seen everything.
- Oh, yeah, I forgot to ask you about your webbed feet.
They're so cool!
- Thanks, buddy.
They help me to swim faster,
They're great for digging in the mud for shellfish,
And they're great for building a nest in the mud too.
- Ooh, ooh, I think I know where your nest is, cassie!
- So these are your eggs!
When are they going to--
Both: ooh, the egg!
It's hatching! It's hatching!
- [Yawns]
- Oh, it's so cute!
- It is!
And it's a mammal that hatched from an egg!
- Well, congratulations, cassie.
What a beautiful baby castorocauda.
- What are you going to name it?
- Hmm.
How about "cindy"?
- Huh?
Ahh.
- I'll bet you'd like to hold her.
- [Sighs]
[Whooshing and splashing]
Both: yeah, all right!
- [Squeaks]
[Train whistle toots]
- Oop! That's the whistle, kids.
Well, cassie, that means it's time for us to get going.
- Oh, already?
I was just getting to know little cindy!
[Chattering]
Bye!
Good-bye, cassie!
Bye, baby cindy!
- Cassie, we'll come back and visit again
And fish in your beautiful lake.
- That sounds great!
Bye, everyone!
- All aboard!
[Together] bye!
All: ♪ if I could wish ♪
♪ For just one dish ♪
♪ My greatest wish ♪
♪ Would be more fish ♪
- Hi there.
I'm dr. Scott the paleontologist.
Animals spend a lot of time looking for food.
Meat-eating animals, or carnivores,
Use different strategies to catch their food.
Let's compare some fish-eating creatures from the mesozoic era
With a few animals living today.
Pteranodons probably flew above the water
Until they spotted a fish,
And then dove down to grab it
Using their long beaks.
Now, here's a modern bird called the brown pelican.
It also flies, dives, and grabs its prey with a long beak.
Remember how cassie castorocauda caught fish?
She used her sharp teeth to grab the fish
And hold onto it.
Castorocauda was a mammal
That looked a little like a beaver,
Even though they're not close relatives.
Like a beaver,
Castorocauda had webbed feet
And a large, broad tail that made it a strong swimmer.
And speaking of modern-day animals,
Here's another one with huge teeth for catching fish--
The crocodile.
Yup, those are some serious teeth.
Now check out these bears.
They sit on the edge of a waterfall
And grab fish right out of the water
Or even out of midair.
Wow!
Animals living in the age of dinosaurs
Probably caught fish using the same methods
That animals use today.
Okay, remember,
Get outside, get into nature,
And make your own discoveries.
- Hello, folks!
It's me, the conductor.
Today, don makes a new friend
Who's very good at hiding--
A butterfly named dan.
See if you can find him!
So come on along with me on the dinosaur train!
All aboard!
- [Snoring]
- Hmm.
- [Snoring continues]
- Huh? [Laughs]
- [Snoring continues]
- [Laughs]
- Hi, butterflies.
Welcome to our nest.
Don't get hurt by dad's snores.
- Hey!
Those three are flying away!
- Hey, butterflies,
Where are you going?
You forgot your brother!
[Laughter]
- That guy near dad, his name is dan.
- How do you know that? - I just know.
Dan, where did your brother and sisters fly away to?
- Wait, those other butterflies are his brother and sisters?
- Yup, dan's just like me.
He has one brother, whose name is benny,
And two sisters, teeny and sheila.
- That sounds like our names.
- I know. Isn't that funny?
But those are their real names.
- [Snores]
- Whoops, there he goes.
Come on, you guys, let's follow him.
Dan, here are the rocks we play on.
My nature collection's over there,
And way down there is our beach.
- Dan's wings are so beautiful and colorful.
I really like them.
- And he actually flies really fast.
- [Gasps]
[All grunt]
- You okay, don?
Why did you stop?
- I think I know what dan is doing.
- Me too.
He's flying around like a butterfly.
That's what he does.
- No, he's flying around,
Looking everywhere for his sisters and brother.
All: huh?
- I'm sure he is.
He's probably feeling lost and sad.
[Sighs]
I know I'd be sad if you and buddy and shiny
Left me by mistake, and I was all alone.
- Well, we wouldn't let that happen.
- Thanks, buddy.
I know what I have to do.
Help dan find his brother and sisters!
Dan, I promise I'll find your brother and sisters for you.
All: we'll help you, don.
- That's wonderful that you're helping don
And his new butterfly friend.
I'll help too, don.
- [Yawning] me too.
I'll help you find dean.
He's a butterfly, right?
- He is a butterfly, but his name is dan,
Not dean, dad.
- Oh, dan, not don or dean.
I will try to remember that.
Dan, dan, dan.
- Huh?
Speaking of dan, where is he?
- [Gasps]
Dan! Where did he go?
- Maybe he's playing hide and seek?
- Or he may be hiding to keep safe.
- To keep safe?
But he's safe here with us!
How much safer can he be?
- I know a few things about butterflies.
I can explain like the conductor does
On the dinosaur train!
- Too bad you don't have a conductor's screen, mom.
- Hmm.
[Whispering]
- [Chuckles]
Okay, then, I'll be the conductor's screen.
Ready?
[Laughter]
[All squawk] ready!
- [Imitating mr. Conductor] hello, I'm mom the conductor.
All: hello, mom the conductor.
- Butterflies survive on something called nectar
That they get from flowers and plants.
- [Whooshing]
[Gulps]
[Exaggerated gasping]
[Slurps]
[Laughter]
- And butterflies like dan have an amazing sense of smell.
They use their antennae to smell things.
- [Sniffing]
- Smell me! - Me too!
[All chattering]
- Butterflies also have very good eyesight.
Many have brightly colored wings
And are most active during the day.
- Whoo! I'm a colorful butterfly!
Whee!
- But butterflies also have many predators
That try to att*ck them:
Frogs, lizards, spiders, and certain birds.
[Laughter]
To protect themselves,
Many butterflies, like dan,
Use the color patterns on their wings to blend in
With the leaves, trees, flowers, and rocks.
They sort of play hide and seek.
This blending in is called camouflage.
All: camouflage.
[All cheer]
- Blending in, huh?
I wonder if dan is doing that right now.
I still don't see him.
Do you think dan is playing hide and seek?
Dan, don't hide!
You don't have to use camouflage!
I'm not a scary predator. I'm your new best friend.
- Well, let's help don find dan.
Maybe he's somewhere in the nest.
- Or on dad or mom?
- [Gasps]
Wait. Buddy, don't move.
Look at buddy's back, everyone!
- Hey, it's dan, right on your back, buddy.
Hi, dan!
- [Giggles] dan's orange-colored,
So he blends right in with you, buddy.
- Yeah, because I'm orange too.
[Together] that's camouflage.
- Exactly.
- Dan, even if you're camouflaged,
I will not let you out of my sight.
Now let's go find your brother and sisters.
- Wait. We need a plan.
- Right, where have we seen butterflies before?
Both: near the water!
- Our beach is near the water.
- Okay then, team.
To the beach!
- Hop on, dan.
Well, it shouldn't be hard to find butterflies
That look like dan.
- Yeah, he's mostly orange, some yellow.
Okay, let's start the beach search!
All: yeah!
- Hello, benny, teeny, and sheila!
Where are you?
Your brother dan is right here!
- [Squawks] there's a dragonfly.
Definitely not a butterfly.
- And there are some flying beetles.
- And a frog!
[Frog croaking]
- Look, it's butterfly camouflage again, don!
Dan's just protecting himself by blending in.
- Oh, right.
Wow, dan, you really blend in with this orange rock!
Dan, you can come out now.
The frog hopped away.
Just stick with me.
We will find your family.
I know they're here somewhere.
- [Squawks] look, two lizards.
- Dan's using camouflage again.
[Whispers] you're good at that.
Now don't worry.
I won't let the lizards bother you.
- Finally, I see some butterflies!
Maybe it's dan's sisters and brother.
- Wait, these butterflies aren't dan's brother and sisters.
- Yeah, they're the wrong color.
They're not orange and yellow like dan.
- [Sighs]
Well, I guess this search
Will be harder than I thought it would be.
- Let's think.
Where would dan's brother and sisters be
If they were on this beach?
- [Squawks]
What if we all act like butterflies?
Then maybe they'll see us and come play with us.
[Laughter]
- I'm using my butterfly antennae!
- And I'm using my amazing butterfly eyesight!
- I could use my camouflage to hide, but I'm not.
I want my brother and sisters to see me.
[All panting]
- This is hard work.
- How's it going, team?
Any luck finding dan's sisters and brother?
- No, we've looked and looked.
We found a dragonfly and some beetles
And lizards and a frog.
But we can't find benny and teeny and sheila.
- [Squawks] I'm sorry, don.
We didn't have any luck either.
- I found some shiny shells.
- That's nice, shiny.
[Sighs]
- I know.
Why don't we go back up to the nest and have a snack?
That'll make us all feel better.
All: yeah!
[Dinosaurs squawking]
- Look, dan's hiding again.
[Whispers] we can hardly see you.
Nice camouflage job, danny boy.
- Okay, dan, the coast is clear!
- Hop on, dan.
Dan, you're gonna be okay.
And I'm still gonna find benny and teeny and sheila for you.
- Come on, don, eat some fish.
You'll feel better.
Dan can stay with us.
- You hear that, dan?
You can stay with us.
We'll just take a short break.
Wait, where are you going now?
Oh, to mom's flowers.
- What's he doing?
- He's drinking flower nectar.
- Cool! I want to see.
I love flowers too, dan.
They're so pretty.
I like the petals, myself.
- Tiny, don, come back to the nest and eat some fish.
Dan will be fine.
You can watch him from here.
Both: okay.
- [Humming]
- What are you making, tiny?
- [Squawks]
A flower headband.
- It's lovely, tiny.
- Thanks, mom. It was fun to make.
- I'm sorry we couldn't find
Your sisters and brother today, dan.
But I promise I will.
[Dinosaurs squawking]
- Wait. Now where did dan go?
- Oh, no, did he go back to the beach?
- I think he's closer than you think.
- What's going on, don?
Are you hiding him?
- I'm not, but--
Both: oh, there he is!
- I knew he was there the whole time.
[Laughter]
- [Squawks] now what's happening?
- Yay, it's benny, teeny, and sheila!
They were all-- what's it called--
Camouflaged together!
♪ La, la, loo ♪
[All cheer]
- Tiny, your headband of flowers was a headband of butterflies!
I'm so happy our search worked.
We got dan back together with his brother and sisters.
Just look how happy dan is!
- And we're happy you found them, don.
Now he's with his sisters and brother.
- Yeah, just like you're with us,
Your sisters and brother.
I'm proud of you, don.
All: me too.
- Group hug! [Squawks]
- Here, you wear it, don.
They seem to really like it.
- Want to camouflage in the flowers again?
Maybe?
- It worked.
Look, the butterflies are having a snack!
- Eat up, dan.
Stay for dinner too...
Or fly away for a while.
Bye, benny, teeny, and sheila!
Bye, dan!
Visit anytime!
See you soon!
All: bye, dan!
- Hi there.
I'm dr. Scott the paleontologist.
I'm sure you've all seen butterflies
Fluttering around your neighborhood.
But did you know that butterflies have been around
For millions of years?
How have butterflies been able to survive for so long?
Some have amazing ways to hide from predators.
Can you see the butterfly in this picture?
Oh, there it is.
This butterfly is using camouflage
To blend in with the background
So that predators pass by without even seeing it.
Now check out the giant spots on this butterfly's wings.
These are called eyespots,
And they distract, trick,
Or sometimes even scare away predators.
Butterflies are often brightly colored,
Which sends a warning message to predators
Like, "I taste bad,"
Or, "I may be poisonous."
With all these unique ways to keep predators away,
It's no wonder butterflies have been able to survive
For millions of years.
Okay, get outside,
Get into nature, and make your own discoveries.
- We love playing games...
- Like all aboard.
- You can play too online at:
- And lots of other games.
- There's so much to learn about all kinds of dinosaurs.
Both:
- ♪ The dinosaur train ♪
- ♪ Dinosaur train ♪
- ♪ The dinosaur train ♪
- ♪ The dinosaur train ♪
- ♪ Dinosaur train ♪
- ♪ The dinosaur train ♪
- ♪ We're gonna ride ♪
- ♪ Ride, ride, ride, ride ♪
[Train whistle toots]
- ♪ The dinosaur train ♪
03x10 - Tiny's Fishing Friend/Butterflies
Watch/Buy Amazon Merchandise
Set in a whimsical prehistoric world of jungles, swamps, active volcanoes and oceans, all filled with dinosaur and other prehistoric animal life, and connected by a train line known eponymously as the Dinosaur Train
Set in a whimsical prehistoric world of jungles, swamps, active volcanoes and oceans, all filled with dinosaur and other prehistoric animal life, and connected by a train line known eponymously as the Dinosaur Train