,illustration3 ,slab with fossil        
impressions                             
,,remarks                               
,,on ,,some                             
,,fossil ,,impressions                  
,,in                  ,,the ,,sandstone 
,,rocks ,,of ,,connecticut ,,river4     
,,by                          ,,john ,c4
 ,,warren1 ,m4,d4           ,,president 
,,of ,,the ,,boston ,,society ,,of      
,,natural ,,history4                    
,illustration3 ,logo                    
,,boston3                               
,,ticknor ,,and ,,fields1               
#ace1 ,washington ,street4              
#ahed4                                  
,,boston3                    ,,printed  
,,by ,,john ,,wilson ,,and ,,son1       
#bb1 ,school ,street4     ,the principal
 part of these remarks were made at the 
meetings of the ,,boston ,,society ,,of 
,,natural ,,history4 ,a portion of them 
also have been printed in the           
,proceedings of the ,society4  ,the     
object of this publication is to afford 

to those who are not members of the     
,society an opportunity of obtaining    
some knowledge of ,fossil ,impressions1 
which they might not be able to obtain  
elsewhere so conveniently4  ,some       
account of the ,epyornis seems to be    
very properly connected with            
,ornithichnites4  ,the first of these   
papers was written in ,october1 #ahec2  
the others in the earlier part of the   
present year4                           
,illustration3 ,epyornis                
,,the ,,epyornis2                       
,,or1                   ,,great ,,bird  
,,of ,,madagascar1 ,,and ,,its ,,eggs4  
,in the course of the year #ahea1 an    
account was circulated of the discovery 
of an immense egg1 or eggs1 in the      
,island of ,madagascar4 ,the size of the
 eggs spoken of was so disproportionate 
to that of any previously known1 that   
most persons received the account with  
incredulity2 and1 ,i must confess1 ,i   
was one of this number4 ,being in ,paris
 soon after hearing of this report1 ,i  

made inquiry on the subject1 and was    
surprised to learn1 that the great egg  
was actually existing in the ,museum of 
,natural ,history in ,paris4 ,in a few  
days ,i had an opportunity of seeing a  
cast of it in the hands of the artist1  
,m4 ,strahl1 of whom ,i solicited one4  
,he informed me that it could not be    
obtained at that moment2 but that1 if my
 request were made known to the         
,administration of the ,museum1 he had  
no doubt they would accede to it4 ,i    
accordingly did apply1 and also         
presented them with the cast of a       
perfect head of ,mastodon ,giganteus2   
and they very liberally granted my      
request4  ,the distinguished naturalist1
 ,professor ,geoffroy ,st4 ,hilaire1 the
 second of that honorable name1 has made
 a statement to the ,academy of         
,sciences1 which1 though only           
initiatory1 contains many facts of a    
very interesting nature1 some of which  
,i have had an opportunity of verifying2
 and to him we are indebted for a       

greater part of the others4  ,the eggs  
sent to me are1 in number1 two2 one of  
which was purchased by ,m4 ,abadie1     
captain of a ,french vessel1 from the   
natives4 ,another was soon afterwards   
found1 equal in size4 ,a third egg was  
discovered in an alluvial stratum near a
 stream of water1 together with other   
valuable relics of the animal which had 
probably produced them2 but1            
unfortunately1 it was broken during     
transportation4 ,of the two eggs1 one is
 of an ovoid form1 having much the shape
 of a hen's egg2 and the other is an    
ellipsoid4  ,the ovoid egg is of        
enormous size1 even when compared with  
the largest egg we are acquainted with4 
,its long diameter exceeds thirteen     
inches of our ,english measure1 its     
short diameter eight1 and its long      
circumference thirty-three inches4 ,its 
capacity is thought to be equal to      
eighteen liquid pints1 or to be six     
times greater than that of the largest  
egg known to us 7the ostrich71 although 

but twice its length4 ,it is said to be 
equal to a hundred and forty-eight hen  
eggs4 ,the ellipsoid egg has its longest
 diameter somewhat less than that of the
 ovoid2 its short diameter nearly equals
 that of the other egg1 being more than 
eight inches4 ,the third egg1 although  
broken1 has been very useful to science1
 by displaying the thickness of the     
shell1 which is about one-tenth of an   
inch4  ,the bones1 of which ,i have     
received the casts1 are three in number1
 and of great interest4 ,one of them is 
a characteristic fragment of the upper  
part of a fibula2 the other two1 still  
more interesting1 as enabling us to     
determine the class and genus of the    
animal to which they belong1 exhibit the
 extremities of the right and left      
tarso-metatarsal bones4 ,the former is  
somewhat broken2 the latter is nearly   
perfect1 and exhibits the triple        
division of the inferior extremity of   
the bone into the three trochleae or    
pulley-shaped processes of the          

struthious birds4 ,it might be mistaken 
for a bone of the great ,dinornis1 but  
is distinguished from this by the       
flatness of the portion above the       
trochleae4 ,still less is it one of the 
bones of the ostrich1 its three pulleys 
being separated from each other by      
distinct intervals2 whereas the pulleys 
of the ostrich have only one such       
separation1 constituting two distinct   
eminences4  ,m4 ,geoffroy ,st4 ,hilaire 
considered himself justified1 from these
 and other facts1 in deciding this bone 
to belong to a bird of a new genus1 to  
which he gives the name of ,,epyornis1  
from aipys1 high1 tall1 and ornis1 bird2
 and1 as probably it is a specimen of   
the largest animal of the family1 he    
affixes the specific name of maximus4   
,the size of this bird1 inferred from   
that of its egg1 would be vastly        
superior to that of the ostrich4 ,but if
 we notice the comparative size of the  
trochleated extremity of the            
tarso-metatarsal bone1 we shall see that

 its height would be greatly exaggerated
 by adopting such a basis for its       
establishment2 in fact1 it would not    
probably exceed a height double that of 
the ostrich4 ,and1 though it must have  
been superior to that of the ,dinornis  
maximus of ,prof4 ,owen1 it might       
perhaps excel it only by the difference 
of two or three feet4 ,a bird of twelve 
or thirteen feet in height would1       
however1 if we stood in its presence1   
appear enormous1 and must have greatly  
astonished and terrified the natives of 
,madagascar4 ,whether it now exists is  
uncertain1 as it may possibly have a    
habitation in the wild recesses of the  
island1 which have never yet been       
visited by any ,european traveller4     
,the credit of most of the observations 
and discoveries relating to this        
remarkable bird is attributable to      
,french naturalists2,a and it seems to  
be a duty devolving on ,english and     
,american navigators to complete the    
history thus happily begun1 and to tell 

us whether the ,epyornis still exists in
 the mountain-forests of ,madagascar1 or
 at least present us with its           
extraordinary relics4    ,footnote ,a3  
,the following are the names of ,french 
travellers1 who   have been supposed to 
have seen the eggs of the ,epyornis in  
the   ,island of ,madagascar3 ,m4       
,sganzin1 in #ahca2 ,m4 ,goudot1 in     
#ahcc2 ,m4   ,dumarele1 in #ahdh2 and   
,m4 ,abadie1 in #ahej4                  
,,fossil ,,impressions4--,i4            
,ichnology1 a newly created branch of   
science1 takes its name from the ,greek 
word ichnos1 a track or footstep1 and   
the tracks themselves have been         
denominated ,ichnites1 or1 when they    
refer to birds only1 ,ornithichnites1   
from ornis1 a bird4 ,and this last term 
has by custom been generally applied to 
ancient impressions1 though not         
correctly4  ,geology has revealed to us 
not only the remains of animals and     
vegetables1 but the impressions made by 
them during their lives1 and even the   

impressions of unorganized bodies4 ,the 
first notice of these appearances was1  
as often happens1 regarded with         
indifference or scepticism2 but their   
number and variety enlightened the      
public mind1 and opened a new source of 
information and improvement4  ,the first
 remarkable observation made on fossil  
footsteps was that of the ,rev4 ,dr4    
,duncan1 of ,scotland1 in #ahbh4 ,he    
noticed1 in a new red sandstone quarry  
in ,dumfriesshire1 impressions of the   
feet of small animals of the tortoise   
kind1 having four feet1 and five toes on
 each foot4 ,they were seen in various  
layers through a thickness of forty feet
 or more4  ,sandstone1 in which these   
impressions are principally discovered1 
is a rock composed chiefly of siliceous 
and micaceous particles cemented        
together by calcareous or argillaceous  
paste1 containing salt1 and colored with
 various shades of the oxide of iron1   
particularly the red1 gray1 brown4 ,it  
has been remarked by ,prof4 ,h4 ,d4     

,rogers1 that the perfection of the     
surface containing fossil footmarks is  
often attributable to a micaceous       
deposit4 ,the layers of sandstone have  
been formed by deposits from sea-water1 
dried in succession2 such layers are    
also seen in the roofing slate4 ,these  
deposits on the shores of the ocean1    
having in a soft condition received the 
impressions of the feet of birds1 other 
animals1 vegetables1 and also of        
rain-drops1 under favorable             
circumstances dried1 hardened1 and      
formed a rock of greater or less        
solidity4 ,our colleague1 ,dr4 ,gould1  
has exhibited to us a specimen of dried 
clay from the shores of the ,bay of     
,fundy1 containing beautiful            
impressions1 recently made1 of the      
footsteps of birds4 ,the particles      
brought by the waves1 and deposited in  
the manner described1 were derived from 
the destruction of other rocks          
previously existing1 particularly       
granite and flint1 or silex1 the shining

 atoms of which compose no small part of
 the sandstone rock4  ,it is easy to    
conceive1 that1 while these deposits    
were taking place in the soft condition1
 portions of vegetable matters might    
become intermixed2 and that these1 with 
the impressions of the feet and other   
parts of animals and unorganized        
substances1 might be preserved by the   
process of desiccation4 ,the agency of  
internal heat may have also been        
employed in some cases in baking and    
hardening these crusty layers4  ,the    
sandstone rock1 though in some places   
actually in a state of formation at the 
present time1 lies in such a manner in  
the earth's crust as to indicate an     
immense antiquity4 ,the age of these    
beds varies in different situations4    
,the sandstone rocks which contain the  
greater part of the impressions are     
called new red sandstone1 to distinguish
 them from the old red1 which is of a   
greater age4 ,the deposits on           
,connecticut ,river may not be          

attributed to the action of this river1 
but are of higher antiquity1 probably1  
than the river itself1 and proceeded    
from the waves of an ancient sea1       
existing in a state of the surface of   
the globe very different from that of   
the present day4  ,in #ahcd1 tracks were
 discovered near ,hildberghausen in     
,saxony1 to which ,prof4 ,kaup1 of      
,darmstadt1 gave the name of            
,chirotherium1 from the resemblance to  
the impressions of the human hand4 ,on a
 subsequent examination1 ,prof4 ,owen   
preferred the name of ,labyrinthodon1   
from the resemblance of the folds in the
 teeth to the convolutions of the brain4
  ,various other instances of           
impressions were seen2 and1 in the year 
#ahce1 ,dr4 ,deane and ,mr4 ,marsh1     
residents of ,greenfield1 noticed       
impressions resembling the feet of birds
 in sandstone rocks of that             
neighborhood4 ,these observations having
 come to the knowledge of ,president    
,hitchcock1 of ,amherst ,college1 that  

gentleman began a thorough investigation
 of the subject1 followed it up with    
unremitted ardor1 and has1 since #ahcf  
7the date of his first publication71    
laid before the public a great amount of
 ichnological information1 and really   
created a new science4 ,dr4 ,deane1 on  
his part1 has not been idle3 besides    
making valuable discoveries1 he has     
written a number of excellent papers to 
record some portion of his numerous     
observations4  ,in #ahcg1 at the request
 of my friend ,dr4 ,boott1 ,i carried to
 ,london1 for the ,museum of the ,royal 
,college of ,surgeons1 various          
scientific objects peculiar to this     
country2 among which were a number of   
casts of ,ornithichnites4  ,these casts 
were kindly furnished me by ,president  
,hitchcock1 and the ,government of the  
,royal ,college thereon voted to present
 to ,president ,hitchcock and ,amherst  
,college casts of the skeleton of the   
famous ,megatherium of ,south ,america4 
,these casts were packed1 and sent to be

 embarked in a ship destined for        
,boston1 but were unluckily delivered to
 a wrong shipping house in ,london1 and 
,i lost sight of them for some time4    
,they were at length discovered4 ,after 
remaining in this situation for more    
than a year1 they were sold at public   
auction2 and1 notwithstanding many      
efforts on my part1 ,i was unable to    
obtain and transmit them to ,amherst    
,college4  ,the fossil impressions which
 have been distinguished in various     
places in the new red sandstone are     
those of birds1 frogs1 turtles1 lizards1
 fishes1 mollusca1 crustacea1 worms1 and
 zoophytes4 ,besides these1 the         
impressions made by rain-drops1         
ripple-marks in the sand1 coprolites or 
indurated remains of faeces of animals1 
and even impressions of vegetables1 have
 been preserved and transmitted from a  
remote antiquity4 ,no authentic human   
impressions have yet been established2  
and none of the mammalia1 except the    
marsupials4787 ,we must1 however1       

remember that1 although the early       
paleontology contains no record of      
birds1 the ancient existence of these   
animals is now fully ascertained4       
,remains of birds were discovered in the
 ,paris gypsum by ,cuvier previous to   
#ahcj4 ,since that time1 they have been 
found in the ,lower ,eocene in ,england1
 and the ,swiss ,alps2 and there is     
reason to believe that osseous relics   
may be met with in the same deposits    
which contain the foot-marks4 ,most of  
the bird-tracks which have been         
observed1 belong to the wading birds1 or
 ,grallae4  ,the number of toes in      
existing birds varies from two to five4 
,in the fossil bird-tracks1 the most    
frequent number is three1 called        
tridactylous2 but there are instances   
also of four or tetradactylous1 and two 
or didactylous4 ,the number of          
articulations corresponds in            
ornithichnites with living birds3 when  
there are four toes1 the inner or hind  
toe has two articulations1 the second   

toe three1 the third toe four1 the outer
 toe five4 ,the impressions of the      
articulations are sometimes very        
distinct1 and even that of the skin     
covering them4  ,president ,hitchcock   
has distinguished more than thirty      
species of birds1 four of lizards1 three
 of tortoises1 and six of batrachians4  
,the great difference in the characters 
of many fossil animals from those of    
existing genera and species1 in the     
opinion of ,prof4 ,agassiz1 makes it    
probable that in various instances the  
traces of supposed birds may be in fact 
traces of other animals1 as1 for        
example1 those of the lizard or frog4   
,and he supports this opinion1 among    
other reasons1 by the disappearance of  
the heel in a great number of           
,ornithichnites4  ,d',orbigny1 to whom  
we are indebted for the most ample and  
systematic work on ,paleontology 7,cours
 ,elementaire de ,paleontologie et de   
,geologie1 #e vols4 #ahdi-eb71 does not 
accept the arrangement of ,president    

,hitchcock4 ,he objects to the term     
,ornithichnites1 and proposes what he   
considers a more comprehensive          
arrangement into organic1 physiological1
 and physical impressions4 ,organic     
impressions are those which have been   
produced by the remains of organized    
substances1 such as vegetable           
impressions from calamites1 c4          
,physiological impressions are those    
produced by the feet and other parts of 
animals4 ,physical impressions are those
 from rain-drops and ripple-marks2 and  
to these may be added coprolites in     
substance4 ,this plan of ,d',orbigny    
seems to exclude the curious and        
interesting distinctions of groups1     
genera1 and species2 in this way        
diminishing the importance of the       
science of ,ichnology4  ,fossil         
impressions have been found on this     
continent in the carboniferous strata of
 ,nova ,scotia1 and of the ,alleghenies2
 in the sandstone of ,new ,jersey1 and  
in that of the ,connecticut ,valley in a

 great number of places1 from the town  
of ,gill in ,massachusetts to           
,middletown in ,connecticut1 a distance 
of about eighty miles4  ,a slab from    
,turner's ,falls1 obtained for me by    
,dr4 ,deane in #ahde1 measuring two feet
 by two and a half1 and two inches in   
thickness1 contains at least ten        
different sets of impressions1 varying  
from five inches in length to two and a 
half1 with a proportionate length of    
stride from thirteen inches to six4 ,all
 these are tridactylous1 and represent  
at least four different species4 ,in    
most of them the distinction of         
articulation is quite clear4 ,the       
articulations of each toe can readily be
 counted1 and they are found to agree   
with the general statement made above as
 to number4 ,the impressions are        
singularly varied as to depth2 some of  
them1 perfectly distinct1 are           
superficial1 like those made by the     
fingers laid lightly on a mass of dough1
 while others are of sufficient depth   

nearly to bury the toes2 some of the    
tracks cross each other1 and1 being of  
different sizes1 belong to animals of   
different ages or different species4    
,there is one curious instance of the   
tracks of a large and heavy bird1 in    
which1 from the softness of the mud1 the
 bird slipped in a lateral direction1   
and then gained a firm footing2 the mark
 of the first step1 though deep1 is     
ill-defined and uncertain2 the space    
intervening between the tracks is       
superficially furrowed2 in the settled  
step1 which is the deepest1 the toes are
 very strongly indicated4 ,on the same  
surface are impressions of nails1 which 
may have belonged to birds or           
chelonians4  ,the inferior surface of   
the same slab exhibits appearances more 
superficial1 less numerous1 but         
generally regular4 ,there are three sets
 of tracks entirely distinct from each  
other2 two of them containing three     
tracks1 and one containing two1--the    
latter being much the largest in size4  

,in addition1 there is one set of       
tracks1 which are probably those of a   
tortoise4 ,these marks present two other
 points quite observable and            
interesting4 ,one is that they are      
displayed in relief1 while those on the 
upper surface are in depression4 ,the   
relief in this lower surface would be   
the cast of a cavity in the layer below2
 so the depressions in the upper surface
 would be moulds of casts above4 ,the   
second point is the non-correspondence  
of the upper and lower surfaces2 i4e4   
the depressions in the upper surface    
have not a general correspondence with  
the elevations on its inferior surface4 
,the tracks above were made by different
 individuals and different species from 
those below4 ,this leads to another     
interesting consideration1 that in the  
thickness of this slab there must be a  
number of different layers1 and in each 
of them there may be a different series 
of tracks4  ,to these last remarks there
 is one exception3 the deep impression  

in which the bird slipped in a lateral  
direction corresponds with an elevation 
on the lower surface1 in which the      
impression of these toes is very        
distinctly displayed1 and even the      
articulations4 ,moreover1 one of the    
tracks on the inferior surface          
interferes with the outer track in the  
superior1 and tends in an opposite      
direction1 so that this last-described  
footstep must have been made before the 
other4 ,it is also observable1 that1    
while all the other tracks are          
superficial1 this last penetrates the   
whole thickness of the slab2 thus       
showing that the different deposits     
continued some time in a soft state4    
,on the surfaces of this slab1          
particularly on the upper1 there are    
various marks besides those of the feet1
 some of which seem to have been made by
 straws1 or portions of grass1 or       
sticks2 and there is a curved line some 
inches in length1 which seems to have   
arisen from shrinkage4  ,in the         

collection of ,mr4 ,marsh1,b there were 
two slabs of great size1 each measuring 
ten by six feet1 having a great number  
of impressions of feet1 and about the   
same thickness as the slab under        
examination4 ,one of these presented    
depressions2 and the other1             
corresponding reliefs4 ,these very      
interesting relations were necessarily  
parted in the sale of ,mr4 ,marsh's     
collection2 one of them being obtained  
for the ,boston ,society of ,natural    
,history1 and the other for the         
collection of ,amherst ,college4        
,footnote ,b3 ,mr4 ,marsh was a mechanic
 of the town of ,greenfield1   and      
procured his subsistence by his daily   
labor4 ,being employed by   ,dr4 ,deane 
in obtaining the sandstone slabs of     
,ornithichnites1 he   acquired a taste  
for the pursuit1 entered into it with   
extraordinary ardor1 and accumulated by 
his own labors a great   collection of  
fine specimens4 ,he unfortunately fell  
into a   consumption1 and died in #aheb4

 ,the collection was sold at public     
auction for a sum between two and three 
thousand dollars4 ,the   specimens were 
purchased by the ,boston ,society of    
,natural ,history1   by ,amherst        
,college1 and by varioud colleges and   
scientific   associations in this       
country4  ,the ,physical ,impressions1  
according to ,professor ,d',orbigny1 are
 of three kinds1 viz43 #ast1            
,rain-drops2 #b;d1 ,ripple-marks2 and   
#c;d1 ,coprolites4 ,i have a slab which 
exhibits two leptodactylous tracks very 
distinct1 about an inch and a half long1
 surrounded by impressions of rain-drops
 and ripple-marks4 ,another specimen    
exhibits the impressions of rain in a   
more distinct and remarkable manner4    
,the imprints are of various sizes1 from
 those which might be made by a common  
pea to others four times its diameter2  
some are deep1 others superficial and   
almost imperceptible4 ,they are         
generally circular1 but some are ovoid4 
,some have the edge equally raised      

around1 as if struck by a perpendicular 
drop2 and others have the edge on one   
part faintly developed1 while another   
part is very sharp and well defined1 as 
if the drop had struck obliquely4 ,it   
has been suggested1 that these fossil   
rain-drops may have been made by        
particles of hail2 but ,i think the     
variety of size and depth of depression 
would have been more considerable if    
thus made4  ,although we have           
necessarily treated the subject of      
fossil footmarks in a very brief way1   
sufficient has been said to show that   
this new branch of ,paleontology may    
lead to interesting results4 ,the fact  
that they are1 in some manner1 peculiar 
to this region1 seems to call upon our  
,society to obtain a sufficient number  
of specimens to exhibit to scientific   
men a fair representation of the        
condition of ,ichnology in this quarter 
of our country2 and we have therefore   
great reason to congratulate ourselves1 
that1 through the vigilance and spirit  

of our members1 the ,society has the    
expectation of obtaining a rich         
collection of ichnological specimens4   
,,fossil ,,impressions4--,,ii4   ,since 
writing the preceding article1 ,i have  
been able to obtain1 through the        
kindness of ,president ,hitchcock1 a    
number of additional specimens of fossil
 impressions4 ,by the aid of these1 ,i  
may hope to give an idea of the system  
of impressions1 so far as it has been   
discovered1 without1 however1 attempting
 to enter into minute details4 ,for     
these1 ,i would refer to the account of 
the ,geology of ,massachusetts1 by      
,president ,hitchcock2 to his valuable  
article published in the ,memoirs of the
 ,american ,academy2 and to his         
geological works generally4  ,the       
numerous tracks which have been         
assembled together in the neighborhood  
of ,connecticut ,river have afforded an 
opportunity of prosecuting these studies
 to an extent unusual in the primitive  
rocky soil of ,new ,england4 ,these     

appearances are not1 indeed1 wholly new4
 ,such traces had been previously met   
with in other countries2 but1 in their  
number and variety1 the valley of the   
,connecticut abounds above all places   
hitherto investigated4  ,twenty years   
have elapsed since the study of         
,ichnology has been prosecuted in this  
country2 and1 in this period of time1   
about forty-nine species of animal      
tracks have been distinguished in the   
locality mentioned1 according to        
,president ,hitchcock2 which have been  
regularly arranged by him in groups1    
genera1 and species4  ,i propose now to 
lay the specimens1 recently obtained1   
before the ,society1 as a slight        
preparation for the more numerous and   
more valuable articles which they are   
soon to receive4  ,the traces found on  
ancient rocks1 as has been shown in the 
previous article1 are those of animals1 
vegetables1 and unorganized substances4 
,the traces of animals are produced by  
quadrupeds1 birds1 lizards1 turtles1    

frogs1 mollusca1 worms1 crustacea1 and  
zoophytes4 ,these impressions are of    
various forms3 some of them simple      
excavations2 some lines1 either straight
 or curved1 and others complicated into 
various figures4  ,president ,hitchcock 
has based his distinctions of fossil    
animal impressions on the following     
characters1 viz43--       #a4 ,toes     
thick1 pachydactylous2 or thin1         
leptodactylous4      #b4 ,feet winged4  
#c4 ,number of toes from two to five1   
inclusive4      #d4 ,absolute and       
relative length of the toes4      #e4   
,divarication of the lateral toes4      
#f4 ,angle made by the inner and middle1
 outer and middle toes4      #g4        
,projection of the middle beyond the    
lateral toes4      #h4 ,distance between
 tips of lateral toes4      #i4         
,distance between tips of middle and    
inner and outer toes4     #aj4 ,position
 and direction of hind toe4     #aa4    
,character of claw4     #ab4 ,width of  
toes4     #ac4 ,number and length of    

phalangeal expansions4     #ad4         
,character of the heel4     #ae4        
,irregularities of under side of foot4  
#af4 ,versed sine of curvature of toes4 
#ag4 ,angle of axis of foot with line of
 direction4     #ah4 ,distance of       
posterior part of the foot from line of 
direction4     #ai4 ,length of step4    
#bj4 ,size of foot4     #ba4 ,character 
of the integuments of the foot4     #bb4
 ,coprolites4     #bc4 ,means of        
distinguishing bipedal from quadrupedal 
tracks4  ,by these characters1          
,president ,hitchcock has distinguished 
physiological tracks1 or those made by  
animated beings1 into ten groups        
provisionally4 ,to these may be added1  
organic impressions1 made by organized  
bodies2 and the impressions made by     
inanimate bodies1 called physical       
impressions4  ,the specimens under our  
hands enable us to give some notion of  
the distinctions which characterize the 
greater part of these groups4         99
       99       99       99       99    

,,group ,,first--,,struthiones4  ,the   
ostrich-tracks present a numerous       
natural and most remarkable group2      
remarkable from the great size of some  
species1--all of them tridactylous and  
pachydactylous4 ,the ostrich of the ,old
 ,world has only two toes1 but this     
family exists in ,south ,america at the 
present time under the name of ,rhea    
,americana2 and tracks of an animal1    
probably of the same family1 are found  
in the numerous impressions near        
,connecticut ,river1--all of them having
 three toes in front1 and the rudiment  
of a fourth behind4  ,this group        
contains a number of genera4 ,the       
,,first ,,genus1 denominated            
,brontozoum1 presents the tracks of a   
most extraordinary bird4 ,these tracks  
appear less questionable since the      
discovery in ,madagascar of the eggs of 
the ,epyornis4  ,the tracks of the      
largest species1 the ,,brontozoum       
,,giganteum1 are four times the         
magnitude of those made by the existing 

ostrich of ,africa4 ,they are very      
numerous1 and congregated together4 ,the
 foot of the ,brontozoum ,giganteum1    
including the inferior extremity of the 
tarso-metatarsal bone1 which makes a    
part of the foot1 measures in our       
specimen twenty inches2 in the ,mastodon
 ,giganteus1 the foot measures          
twenty-seven inches2 the width also is  
less1 being ten inches across the       
metacarpals1 while that of the ,mastodon
 is twenty-two3 but the one is a bird1  
the other a quadruped4 ,the toes are    
three in number1 and present the same   
divisions with existing birds2 the inner
 toe having three1 the middle four1 the 
outer five phalanges4 ,some of the      
articulations of the toes of this noble 
specimen are remarkable for the manner  
in which they illustrate the mode of    
formation of the tracks4 ,these         
phalanges have become separated from the
 solid rock in which they were encased1 
so as to be removable at pleasure2 and  
they thus show that the whole foot is   

not a simple impression in the rock     
which contains it1 but a depression     
filled by foreign materials1 i4e4 by    
sand1 clay1 and other relics of         
pre-existing rocks4 ,these materials had
 been gradually deposited in the mould  
formed by the bird's foot1 and are      
therefore independent of this rock1 in  
the same way as the plaster-of-,paris   
cast of a tooth1 or any other body1 is  
independent of the mould to which it    
owes its form4 ,the impressions are in  
gray sandstone4  ,on the reversed       
surface of the slab is seen a small     
piece of broken quartz1 about half an   
inch square4 ,this piece forms a        
beautiful illustration of a part of the 
process by which the sandstone rocks are
 formed4  ,the second species of the    
same genus is the ,,brontozoum          
,,sillimanium4 ,of this we have three   
specimens2 the tracks have the same     
general character with the preceding1   
but are smaller4  ,the third species of 
this genus is styled the ,,brontozoum   

,,loxonyx1 from loxos1 a bow1 and onyx1 
a nail1--a curved nail4 ,it is smaller  
than the ,sillimanium1 and has the nail 
set to one side4  ,the fourth species1  
still smaller1 is the ,brontozoum       
,gracillimum4 ,on this slab the         
impressions are in relief2 viz43 #ast1  
of ,brontozoum ,gracillimum2 #b;d1 of   
,brontozoum ,parallelum2 #c;d1 of the   
track of a tortoise1 fourteen inches    
long1 and two wide4 ,other extensive    
eminences and depressions1 with         
rain-drops1 may be observed on the same 
surface4  ,the fifth species is called  
,,brontozoum ,,parallelum1 from the     
tracks being on a line with each other4 
,of this there are two specimens1 one of
 them1 however1 being a single track4   
,on the surface of the other slab there 
are at least five distinct tracks1 one  
of them being a small new and           
undescribed species1--thus making the   
whole number of species of ,brontozoum  
which we possess to be at least six4    
,the ,,second ,,genus of ,struthiones is

 called ,a,ethyopus1 from aithuia1 a    
gull1 and pous1 a foot1--gull-footed4   
,this genus is smaller than the         
,brontozoum ,giganteum2 and we have two 
species1 viz4 the ,,aethyopus           
,,lyellianus1 which is the larger1 and  
two specimens of ,,aethyopus ,,minor4   
,all of these are distinguished from the
 preceding genus by the winged foot1 and
 in the ,lyellianus by the shallowness  
of the impression4 ,the ,a,ethyopus     
,minor is not always distinguished by   
the superficiality of its impression4   
,this is sometimes deep4 ,therefore this
 character may not be considered a      
distinctive one1 or the ,a,ethyopus     
,minor might be referred to another     
genus4 ,of the two specimens of this    
latter species1 the first is in         
depression1 tridactylous4 ,the          
depressions are deep with rain-drops1   
marks of quadrupeds and zoophytes over  
the whole surface4 ,the ornithichnic    
impressions are two in number2 one      
superficial1 the other very deep4 ,the  

reversed surface of this slab contains  
one tridactylous impression in relief4  
,the second specimen has three          
depressions2 two of which are           
superficial1 and the third is quite     
deep1 displaying1 by a depressed        
surface1 the webbed character of the    
foot4         99       99       99      
99       99                             
,,group ,,second4  ,we shall take1 to   
characterize this group1 the ,argozoum1 
from arges1 swift1 winged4  ,of this    
genus there are two species1 the larger 
of which is the ,,argozoum              
,,disparidigitatum4 ,it is              
leptodactylous1 and remarkable for the  
length of the middle toe4 ,we have      
another species1 which is smaller than  
the last named1 and in which the toes   
are nearly of equal length2 hence called
 ,,argozoum ,,paridigitatum4  ,the other
 genus of this group is the             
,,platypterna1 and our specimen is named
 ,deaniana4 ,this genus is remarkable   
for the width of the heel2 hence the    

name1 from platys1 broad1 and pterna1 a 
heel4 ,it has three toes like the other 
genera of this group4         99        
99       99       99       99           
,,group ,,third4  ,this and the         
succeeding group are tetradactylous2    
having one toe behind1 three forwards4  
,the third group is leptodactylous2 foot
 usually small1 but sometimes of medium 
size4 ,of it we have two specimens1     
viz43 ,,ornithopus ,,gallinaceus1 and   
,,ornithopus ,,gracilis4 ,the former is 
so called from the resemblance to the   
domestic fowl3 for convenience sake1 in 
this and other instances1 we use the    
whole for a part4 ,it is about three    
inches in length1 and the ,ornithopus   
,gracilis about two4  ,this latter      
specimen is particularly interesting4   
,it consists of two parts1 which open   
like the covers of a book4 ,these covers
 present four impressions3 first1 the   
superficial1 which is distinct1 slender1
 and beautiful--the heel is broad2      
second1 corresponding with this         

depression and on the inside1 is a      
figure in relief as distinct as the     
depression2 third1 on the inside of the 
second cover is a depression            
corresponding with the relief last      
mentioned2 fourth1 on the outer side is 
a second relief corresponding with the  
second depression1 but less distinct    
than either of the other three1 still1  
however1 exhibiting three toes pointing 
anteriorly1 but the hind toe is wanting4
 ,the whole of this double slab forms a 
series of cameos and intaglios1         
measuring four inches by three1 and in  
thickness an inch and a quarter4        
99       99       99       99       99  
,,group ,,fourth4  ,of the fourth group 
we have five specimens4 ,the            
,triaenopus1 so called from its         
resemblance to a trident1 has besides   
three leptodactylous toes pointing      
forwards1 a fourth extending backwards  
in a remarkable way1 like the handle of 
a trident2 the impression1 however1     
being expanded so as to show an         

extensive displacement of the mud4 ,all 
the specimens of ,triaenopus are in a   
beautiful red shale1 very thin and      
fragile1 but presenting well-defined    
impressions1 generally about three      
inches long4  ,there are two species to 
this genus4 ,of the ,,triaenopus        
,,emmonsianus we notice three           
impressions in relief4 ,in another      
specimen there is the appearance of a   
part of the toes of the ,anomoepus      
,scambus1 and on the upper side are seen
 two excavations corresponding with the 
three impressions4 ,in the last slab1   
the track of the ,,triaenopus           
,,baileyanus appears to have been made  
by two feet placed successively in the  
same spot1 which led ,president         
,hitchcock to suspect it might have been
 made by a quadruped4 ,one of the       
specimens has the ,triaenopus tracks    
intermixed in a peculiar way with other 
impressions4  ,the specimen representing
 the genus ,,harpedactylus is larger    
than the preceding2 and1 though         

leptodactylous1 the toes are much       
broader and also more curved1 whence the
 name ,harpedactylus1 sickle-finger1    
from harpe and daktylos4         99     
99       99       99       99           
,,group ,,fifth4  ,the fifth group      
differs much from the four previous     
ones4 ,in this and the following groups 
we pass from the vestiges of birds to   
those of other animals1 some of which   
are bipeds1 some quadrupeds4 ,many      
impressions are without any distinct    
character1 belonging probably to the    
lower animals1 to vegetables1 and       
unorganized bodies4  ,the fifth group   
comprehends the tracks of an            
extraordinary animal1 the ,,otozoum4,c  
,the name which has been given to it is 
taken from that of an ancient giant1    
,otus1 who with his brother ,ephialtes1 
according to heathen mythology1 made war
 with the gods4 ,these fabled giants    
were1 at nine years of age1 nine cubits 
in width and nine fathoms in height4    
,footnote ,c3 ,the specific name of     

,moodii has been attached to the        
,otozoum1 from its having been          
discovered by ,mr4 ,moody4  ,the foot is
 divided into four toes2 the two outer  
of which seem to be connected by a      
common basis4 ,the inner toe has three  
phalanges2 the second toe1 also three2  
the third and fourth toes1 four each4   
,the first is the shortest1 the second  
longer1 the third longest1 the fourth   
shorter than the third4 ,it will appear1
 then1 that this track differs from that
 of birds in the number of toes pointing
 forwards2 these being four1 while in   
birds the forward toes are only three4  
,there is a difference also in the      
number and arrangement of the           
articulations4  ,the track in our       
possession is twenty inches long by     
thirteen and a half inches broad4 ,the  
rock in which it is imbedded is a       
dark-colored sandstone4 ,president      
,hitchcock has a slab showing a regular 
series of tracks of this animal2 the    
distance between the steps being about  

three feet1 and the tracks equidistant  
and alternate1 which would not be the   
case if the animal had been quadrupedal4
 ,in a quadruped1 the horse for example1
 the hind feet are set down near the    
fore feet1 and sometimes even strike    
them4 ,hence it must be inferred that   
the track in question was that of a     
biped1 or of a quadruped which did not  
use its fore feet in progression1 like a
 kangaroo4 ,we naturally ask1 ,what kind
 of biped could this have been8         
,evidently not a man1 the size of the   
foot being too large to admit such a    
supposition2 nor could it have been a   
bird1 the number of toes and their      
direction not admitting this hypothesis4
  ,tetradactylous birds1 or those which 
have four toes1 have only three of them 
directed forwards1 and the fourth       
backwards1 generally4 ,there are1       
however1 exceptions2 some birds have    
four toes directed forwards3 this is the
 fact with the ,hirundo ,cypselus and   
the ,pelicanus ,aquilus of ,linnaeus1 or

 ,man-of-war ,bird4 ,but the            
articulations are different in the two  
animals1 birds having regularly two1    
three1 four1 and five phalanges1 and the
 spur1 where it exists1 supported by a  
single osseous phalanx2 whereas the     
,otozoum has three phalanges in the     
inner and second toe1 four in the third 
and fourth toes4 ,in this last          
arrangement1 the ,otozoum is decidedly  
different from all known birds4 ,it is  
not likely to have been a tortoise or a 
lizard4 ,the kangaroo has four feet1 and
 uses only two in progression1 moving   
forward by leaps2 also1 like the        
,otozoum1 it has four toes2 but the size
 of the toes does not accord with that  
of the ,otozoum1 nor is the structure of
 the foot the same1 so far as we know4  
,it has been suggested by ,professor    
,agassiz1 that this animal might have   
been a two-footed frog4 ,nature had1 in 
those days1 animal forms different from 
those we are acquainted with2 and this  
might have been the fact with the       

,otozoum4         99       99       99  
99       99                             
,,group ,,sixth4  ,we have in this group
 a specimen of the track of a           
four-footed animal1 which may have been 
a frog1 though different from ours4 ,the
 feet are unequal in size1 and present a
 different number of toes4 ,in existing 
frogs there are four toes in the fore   
feet1 and five in the hind2 but1 in the 
specimen before us1 the front toes are  
five in number1 and the back toes three4
 ,it is called1 therefore1 ,,anomoepus1 
unequal-footed4 ,these impressions are  
in the red shale of ,hadley1 and very   
distinct4 ,in some of them the lower leg
 is indicated1 forming an impression six
 or seven inches long4 ,the feet being  
smaller than the legs1 the impression   
made by the latter is more expanded1    
superficial1 and broader1 yet still very
 definite4 ,the opinion of ,president   
,hitchcock and ,dr4 ,deane is1 that the 
different impressions of five and three 
toes are those of the anterior and      

posterior extremities of one animal1    
which1 from the size of the limbs1 might
 be a frog three feet high4  ,on the    
same schist with these footmarks1 are   
other curious impressions4 ,the back of 
the slab is almost covered with the     
imprints of rain-drops4 ,in the midst of
 these is a tridactylous impression1    
probably of a quadruped1 crossed at its 
root by a single depression1 nearly an  
inch broad1 and two and a half long3    
this seems to form part of another broad
 superficial impression of about seven  
by four inches1 which is probably also  
quadrupedal4 ,other parts present the   
impressions of nails and worm-tracks4   
,at the opposite end is a deep1 smooth1 
regular excavation1 which might have    
been made by a ,medusa4         99      
99       99       99       99           
,,group ,,seventh4  ,the seventh group  
contains the impressions of the feet of 
,saurians or lizards4 ,we have a        
specimen of quadrupedal marks1 with five
 toes to each foot1 about an inch long1 

which may have been made by these       
animals4 ,the impressions are small1 but
 very distinct4 ,there are lizards of   
the present day with five toes1 about   
the size of these impressions2 and these
 may1 therefore1 be set down as         
belonging to this order of reptiles4    
,like a number of the last-named        
specimens1 they are in red shale4       
99       99       99       99       99  
,,group ,,eighth4  ,the eighth group is 
assigned by ,president ,hitchcock to the
 ,chelonian or turtle tribe4 ,the slab  
bearing impressions of ,brontozoum      
,gracillimum has a mark about fourteen  
inches long and two wide1 which may be  
attributed to the plastron or           
breast-plate of the tortoise4 ,on the   
slab from ,turner's ,falls there is a   
longitudinal furrow1 which might have   
been made by the tail of a turtle2 and  
in various of our slabs are impressions 
which we think belong to this tribe4 ,we
 shall have occasion to notice hereafter
 remarkable tracks of these animals in  

the old red of ,morayshire1 in          
,scotland4  ,the most distinct of the   
traces of chelonians are on the large   
slab lately obtained for me by          
,president ,hitchcock from ,greenfield4 
7,vide ,plate47 ,this interesting slab  
contains the traces of quadrupeds1      
various birds1 and two trails of        
chelonians3 the largest of these is     
nearly five feet long1 and four inches  
in diameter4 ,the trail is composed of a
 number of parallel elevations1         
comparatively superficial4         99   
99       99       99       99           
,,group ,,ninth4  ,of the ninth group1  
containing the marks of ,annelidae1     
,crustacea1 and ,zoophytes1 we have     
various specimens4  ,the impressions of 
insects do not seem as yet to have been 
distinguished on the ancient rocks4     
,there is reason to believe1 however1   
that many of the marks we discover in   
the rocky beds might have been made by  
the feet and bodies of large insects2   
and small species of the same tribes    

have been found imbedded in1 and        
actually constituting1 immense masses of
 calcareous and siliceous rocks4  ,the  
tracks of worms are numerous4 ,no doubt 
these worms drew together a concourse of
 birds to the shores on which they      
rolled4 ,on various slabs we find long  
cylindrical furrows1 about the eighth of
 an inch in diameter1 and of different  
lengths2 one of them1 in the slab from  
,dr4 ,deane1 being eight or nine inches 
long4 ,to these impressions the name of 
,,herpystezoum1 from herpystes1         
crawling1 has been given4 ,they vary1   
however1 and some of them are very      
likely to be the tracks of the common   
earth-worm1 or of some species of worm  
which existed when these rocks were     
formed4 ,these impressions vary in      
length and in diameter2 some of them are
 moderately regular1 and others         
irregularly curved4  ,very interesting  
tracks have been found in the ancient   
,potsdam white sandstone of             
,beauharnais1 on the ,st4 ,lawrence1 by 

,mr4 ,logan1 an excellent geologist of  
,canada1 and determined by ,professor   
,owen to belong to ,crustacea1 crabs4   
,the number of impressions made by each 
foot is sometimes seven1 sometimes      
eight1 and even more4 ,this track1      
showing the traces of ,crustacea1 goes  
to form another link in the chain of    
fossil footsteps4  ,the ,medusae1       
commonly called jelly-fish1 dissolving  
as they do under the influence of the   
sun and air1 would hardly be expected to
 leave their traces impressed on ancient
 rocks4 ,professor ,d',orbigny1 however1
 has watched the dissolution of these   
animals on the sea-shore1 and found     
that1 after wasting1 they may leave     
their impressions on the sand2 which1   
not being disturbed by a high tide for  
nearly a month1 retains the impression  
of the zoophyte1 and serves as a mould  
to receive materials which take a cast  
and transmit it to subsequent ages4 ,we 
find one of these impressions on the    
slab of the ,anomoepus ,scambus2 and    

,president ,hitchcock1 having examined  
it1 is of opinion that it retains the   
traces of a ,medusa4 ,the impression is 
about five inches in diameter1 of a     
darker color and smoother texture than  
the rest of the rock4 ,its edges fade   
away gradually in the surface of the    
subjacent sandstone4 ,a similar         
impression is found on the superior     
surface of the slab containing the      
,argozoum4         99       99       99 
99       99                             
,,group ,,tenth4  ,the tenth group      
contains the ,,harpagopus1 a name       
derived from harpage1 seizure1 rapine4  
,it is represented by ,president        
,hitchcock as having the form of a drag4
 ,the figure given by him resembles in a
 degree the foot of the ,african        
ostrich2 being a long thick toe1 with a 
shorter one1 not unlike a thumb1 on the 
side4 ,an impression approximating this1
 but of small size1 may be seen on the  
slab of the ,anomoepus ,scambus4        
99       99       99       99       99  

,the formation of bird-tracks is well   
represented by a clay specimen1 about an
 inch thick1 and ten inches long4 ,this 
is a piece of dried clay1 obtained by   
,president ,hitchcock from the banks of 
the ,connecticut1 and produced by       
washings from clay on the shore above1  
covered with foot-impressions of a small
 tridactylous bird1 and dried in the    
sun4 ,this piece shows1 in a way not to 
be questioned1 the manner in which the  
ancient vestiges were produced4 ,sir    
,charles ,lyell noticed a similar fact  
on the banks of the ,bay of ,fundy4     
,,organic ,,impressions4   ,the second  
great division of fossil impressions is 
called ,,organic1 meaning impressions   
made by organized bodies2 the bones of  
animals1 fishes1 and vegetables4  ,near 
one extremity of the slab of the        
,ornithopus ,gallinaceus is an          
elevation1 about a foot long1 and       
between one and two inches wide1        
projecting from the surface nearly half 
an inch4 ,it has the appearance of a    

round bar of iron imbedded in the rock1 
which is clayey sandstone4 ,this        
apparent bar of iron was probably a     
bone1 buried in the stone1 now          
silicified and impregnated with iron2   
the animal matter having entirely       
disappeared4 ,in the slab of the        
,brontozoum ,sillimanium is a projection
 about seven or eight inches long1 and  
half an inch wide2 probably the bone of 
an animal1 perhaps a clavicle of the    
,brontozoum ,giganteum4  ,the vestiges  
of fishes are very numerous in the      
sandstone rocks of ,connecticut ,river4 
,we have not less than two dozen        
specimens from this locality2 a number  
equal to all the other specimens in our 
collection4 ,these impressions of fishes
 are generally from three to six inches 
long1 and three or four inches wide4    
,they are of the grand division         
denominated by ,professor ,agassiz      
heterocercal1 having their tails        
unequally bilobed1 from the partial     
prolongation of the dorsal spine2 and   

they are considered to be of lower      
antiquity than the fishes which are     
entirely heterocercal4 ,the most        
remarkable of the fish-specimens in our 
collection is a ,,cephalaspis 7873 this 
fish is found in the specimen containing
 tracks of the ,brontozoum ,gracillimum1
 and traces of a turtle or tortoise4    
,this fossil was discovered in the upper
 layer of the old red sandstone of      
,scotland1 and had been mistaken by some
 for a trilobite3 to us it appeared to  
be a ,limulus1 but further observation  
leads us to believe it to be a          
,cephalaspis4 ,it exhibits a convex     
disc1 four inches across1 by two inches 
from above downwards1 and a tail at     
right angles with the disc1 the         
uncovered part of which is three inches 
long4 ,the animal has been described by 
,professor ,agassiz as being composed of
 a strong buckler1 with a pointed horn  
at either termination of the crescent1  
and an angular tail4  ,to the vegetable 
impressions discovered among the        

sandstone rocks a peculiar name has not 
yet been assigned4 ,when1 however1 we   
consider the strong probability that    
many impressions of stalks1 leaves1     
fruits1 and other parts of vegetables1  
may be hereafter discovered in these    
rocks1 it will be found convenient to   
have a distinctive denomination4 ,vast  
numbers of vegetable impressions of a   
distinct and beautiful appearance1 and  
in great variety1 have been found in the
 coal-formation1 which is nearly allied 
to the sandstone3 such are the          
,sigillaria1 ,stigmaria1 ,equisetaceae1 
,lycopodiaceae1 ,coniferae1 ,cycadeae1  
c4 ,it is sufficient to say that the    
number of these has been already swelled
 to many hundreds3 we must also believe1
 that some of the impressions in        
sandstone rocks which have been assigned
 to other substances ought to be        
attributed to vegetables4 ,we may1      
therefore1 venture to call the vegetable
 impressions phytological4  ,a number of
 our slabs bear impressions of          

vegetables2 either twigs of trees1 or   
spires of plants4 ,in a fragment broken 
from one of the toes of the ,brontozoum 
,giganteum1 we see a cylindrical        
depression1 three inches long1 and half 
an inch in diameter1 marked by          
transverse lines1 about the sixth of an 
inch apart1 and presenting an           
unquestionable appearance of a fragment 
of a twig of an ancient vegetable1 which
 had been trodden under the foot of the 
mighty ,brontozoum4 ,on the reversed    
surface of the same slab are found      
impressions1 which were produced by a   
number of fragments of sticks1 five or  
six inches long1 lying at right angles1 
or nearly so4 ,one of these sticks has  
been broken1 and its pieces are slightly
 displaced from each other4 ,various    
other specimens contain the marks of    
sticks1 or twigs of trees4 ,the striae1 
so distinctly discernable in a number of
 these portions1 having been compared   
with twigs of the existing coniferae    
7871 were found to resemble them4 ,some 

of these sticks show the appearance of  
incipient carbonization2 yet the rock is
 sandstone1 presenting1 as already      
mentioned1 distinct appearances of      
quartz1 and other substances of which   
the arenaceous rocks are composed4      
,,physical ,,impressions4   ,the third  
great division of impressions in the    
sandstone rocks is called ,,physical1   
meaning those made by inanimate and     
unorganized substances2 such are        
rain-drops1 ripple-marks1 and           
coprolites4  #a4 ,marks of rain-drops1  
described on page #bj1 appear to be     
quite common4 ,we have two or three     
specimens in relief1 and as many in     
depression4 ,they occur as follows3     
#ast1 on the upper surface of the slab  
first described2 #b;d1 on that of the   
,platypterna2 #c;d1 on that of the      
,a,ethyopus ,lyellianus2 #dth1 on that  
of the ,brontozoum ,gracillimum2 #eth1  
on that of the ,a,ethyopus ,minor2 #fth1
 on that of the ,anomoepus ,scambus2    
#gth1 on the recent clay2 also in one   

small hand-specimen1 and in a second    
containing two fishes4 ,they show that1 
in those ancient periods when the       
,brontozoum ,giganteum and the ,otozoum 
resided in these parts1 showers were    
frequent1 and probably abundant for the 
supply of the wants and the             
gratification of the appetites of these 
animals1 then common1 but which now     
appear to us so extraordinary4  #b4     
,ripple-marks are seen in a number of   
these pieces2 for example1 on the slab  
first described1 on the ,brontozoum     
,sillimanium slab1 on the ,brontozoum   
,gracillimum slab1 on one of the        
,triaenopus1 and on the upper surface of
 the ,greenfield slab4 ,these marks are 
represented by parallel curves1 or      
straight lines1 distant from each other 
from half an inch to an inch1 and       
presenting a slight degree of           
prominence4 ,there is another form of   
ripple-marks7871 differing from those   
above described4 ,these are of a        
circular and mammillary form3 they are  

strewed thickly1 like little islets1    
approximating to each other4 ,they are  
seen distinctly on one of the slabs of  
the ,brontozoum ,sillimanium1 on that of
 the ,a,ethyopus ,lyellianus1 and some  
others4 ,whether they are to be         
considered as accumulations of sand and 
clay1 formed by the action of the sea1  
we are uncertain2 but there seems to be 
no other cause to which they can be     
assigned with so great probability4  #c4
 ,coprolites1 the fossilized ejections  
of animals1 are intermixed with other   
animal vestiges in the sandstone of     
,connecticut ,river1 and afford         
additional proof of the former existence
 of animals about these rocks4          
99       99       99       99       99  
,the latest accounts of fossil          
footprints we have had occasion to      
notice are those of the ,crustacea1     
already mentioned1 as found in ,canada1 
and of the ,chelonian in ,scotland4 ,the
 ,canadian impressions1 called by       
,professor ,owen ,protichnites1 were    

discovered in the year #ahdg1 and were  
laid before the ,london ,geological     
,society in #ahea4 ,the most remarkable 
circumstance about them was their       
existence1 as already stated1 in a white
 sandstone1 near the banks of the ,river
 ,st4 ,lawrence1 at ,beauharnais4 ,this 
sandstone1 which has been described by  
,new ,york geologists under the name of 
,potsdam1 is thought to belong to the   
,silurian system1 and to have a higher  
antiquity than even the old red4  ,the  
,scotch footsteps are situated in the   
old red sandstone1 and are those of a   
,chelonian4 ,so that we have now two    
series of tracks1 the ,crustacea in     
,canada and the ,chelonian in ,scotland1
 of higher antiquity than any which had 
been previously discovered4         99  
99       99       99       99  ,on a    
review of the labors of ,president      
,hitchcock1 we are struck with          
admiration at the immense details that1 
in the midst of arduous official and    
literary duties1 he has been able to go 

through with in the period since the    
foot-tracks were discovered on          
,connecticut ,river4 ,although his      
labors should be modified by succeeding 
observers1 ,science must be ever        
grateful to him for laying the          
foundation1 and doing so much for the   
completion1 of a work so great1 novel1  
and interesting4  ,this inquiry seems to
 us to promise a rich variety2 and we   
hope that ,president ,hitchcock and     
other observers will continue to explore
 and cultivate it with undiminished     
zeal4                                   
,,description ,,of ,,the ,,plate4   ,we 
are indebted to ,photography for        
enabling us to represent the remarkable 
slab from ,greenfield1 and its numerous 
objects1 in a small space1 yet with     
perfect accuracy4 ,this slab is four    
feet seven and one-half inches in one   
direction1 and four feet one inch       
transversely to this2 in thickness it   
measures about an inch4 ,it is composed 
of gray sandstone1 in which the         

micaceous element is conspicuous1 and   
contains many interesting impressions on
 both surfaces4  ,the most interesting  
surface is the inferior2 and the objects
 are1 of course1 presented in relief4   
,they are1 first1 two ,chelonian tracks2
 second1 four sets of bird-tracks2      
third1 footsteps of an unknown animal4  
,the ,chelonian tracks are two in       
number3 the longest measures four feet  
ten inches2 the shorter1 two feet nine  
inches4 ,both of these impressions are  
made apparently by the plastron of the  
turtle4 ,they are from four to eight    
inches in width1 and composed of        
elevated striae4 ,these striae are      
formed by raised lines1 pursuing a      
course generally regular1 but           
accompanied with some inflections3 they 
are1 as the plate represents1 very      
distinct4 ,the shorter track appeared to
 me to be crossed by another2 but the   
photographic impression1 though only a  
few inches long1 enabled me to ascertain
 that this appearance was produced by   

bird-tracks above and below4  ,the      
bird-tracks are all tridactylous4 ,the  
first set lies above and to the right of
 the shorter turtle-track1 and is       
composed of only two steps1 proceeding  
in the course of the plate downwards4   
,the second set of bird-tracks has five 
impressions1 extending from the right   
superior pointed angle of the slab      
across the small turtle-track to the    
larger1 in which it is lost4 ,the third 
set of bird-tracks begins by an         
impression larger than any other on the 
piece at the left extremity of the      
longer turtle-track2 and the remainder1 
three in number1 descending towards the 
right1 are the least distinct of any4   
,the fourth set of bird-tracks begins   
below the longer turtle-track1 and      
ascends by four impressions1 crossing   
the track till it meets the first4  ,the
 most curious track1 consisting of six  
digitated impressions1 still remains4   
,the first is seen on the left of the   
longer turtle-track1 near the largest   

bird-track2 the second is on the track2 
the third is above the track2 the others
 cross the slab by fainter impressions4 
,each of them is composed by two feet1  
and each foot contains four toes1 which 
are seen more distinctly in some        
impressions than in others4 ,the largest
 of these double tracks is about three  
inches in diameter4 ,perhaps it would be
 useless to speculate upon what kind of 
animal they were made by4 ,there is a   
similarity between these and the tracks 
of the ,anomoepus ,scambus1 spoken of in
 the sixth group4 ,in the latter1       
however1 the toes are five and three4   
,some experienced persons think they are
 tracks of the mink1 ,mustela ,lutreola1
 an animal common at the present day in 
these parts4 ,this has five toes2 but it
 may be in this as in some other        
digitigrades1 that one of the toes in   
each foot does not make an impression2  
or perhaps it is safer to believe1 till 
further investigation is made1 that it  
was an animal of a construction not now 

existing4  ,the direction of these      
tracks presents a puzzle we are not able
 to unravel2 it exhibits the impressions
 of four toes1 and we have supposed it  
might possess five4 ,in either of these 
cases1 we have no right to consider it a
 bird-track1 but probably a reptile or a
 mammal4 ,admitting this to be the fact1
 we are unable to account for the       
direction of the steps1 which is not    
alternate1 as in the quadruped1 but in  
straight lines4 ,in other words1 this   
animal1 supposed to have four legs1     
gives us the impressions of two only1   
and both of these placed together4      
,when the tridactylous tracks are       
attentively considered1 compared with   
each other1 and with the digitated      
tracks1 they appear to exhibit the      
character of the impressions of the feet
 of birds so very decidedly1 that it    
would require something more than a     
philosophic incredulity to question     
their ornithic origin4  ,the other side 
of this slab contains interesting       

impressions4 ,in the first place1 this  
surface is covered with ripple-marks1   
each about two inches broad1 extending  
with various degrees of distinctness    
across the slab1 and having an interval 
of an inch4 ,the width of the ridges is 
greater than in any of the specimens we 
have seen4  ,this surface is almost     
covered by rain-drops4 ,it has also1    
among other impressions1 one which has  
been drawn by ,mr4 ,silsbee1 our        
photographist1 and represented by the   
figure below of its proper size4 ,this  
figure1 nearly four and a half inches in
 length1 is an exact resemblance in     
form1 but not in size1 of the great     
,otozoum1 as depicted by ,president     
,hitchcock1 and shown by the actual     
impression1 in our hands1 of the great  
foot1 twenty inches long1 and of        
proportionate breadth4 ,the form of the 
heel1 or posterior part of the foot1 is 
the same in the two figures2 the toes   
are equal in both1 viz4 four in number2 
the two internal toes correspond in     

their articulations1 and the two        
external are nearly alike1 with a little
 allowance for a different amount of    
adipose texture4 ,whether this was the  
impression of an infant ,otozoum1 ,i    
pretend not to determine3 the drawing   
was taken by a gentleman who knew       
nothing of the ,otozoum4 ,there are     
similar impressions1 smaller than that  
last described1 on the same surface4    
,the stone1 though now very hard and    
intractable1 having resisted all the    
chemical agents we could employ1 must   
have remained in a soft state for some  
time2 for the impressions of the foot   
shown below penetrate to the opposite   
surface4                  ,illustration3
 ,fossil foot impression  ,in this      
description we have not attempted to    
point out all the objects worthy of     
interest on both sides of this curious  
slab4 ,every part of it is full of      
interest1 and presents a field for      
protracted observations4 ,the surface   
represented in the plate may1 by the aid

 of a magnifier1 be studied without the 
presence of the stone itself2 for the   
photographic art displays the most      
minute objects without alteration or    
omission4            99       99        
99       99       99                    
,transcriber's ,notes4  ,with the       
exception of several presumed           
typographical error which have been     
changed as noted below1 the text        
presented is that shown in the original 
printed version4 ,the original text     
included ,greek characters4 ,for this   
text version these letters have been    
replaced with transliterations4 ,also1  
the ',,ae' and 'ae' ligatures are       
included 7for examples1 ,a,ethyopus and 
striae72 but the 'oe' ligatures 7for    
example1 ,anomoepus7 are shown as 'oe'  
for readability as the ligature         
character is not present in many fonts4 
,typographical ,errors3                 
,alleghanies  ,alleghenies 7,pg4 #ah7   
,mastodon ,giganteus4  ,mastodon        
,giganteus1 7,pg4 #be7  ,emphasis       

,notation3       text   -   italicized