FOOTPRINTS IN THE ROCKS. 



429 



philosophic induction was the result of his observation, and he imme- 

 diately remarked to his wife : " There are some turkey's tracks made 

 three thousand years ago ! " 



These two minds, though untutored in scientific lore, each inde- 

 pendently of the other, expressed that fundamental generalization of 

 paleontology which has never been set aside, though wondrously am- 

 plified and illustrated since that time : that these impressions were 

 made by living animals in immensely remote periods, when the phys- 

 ical geography of the country differed from what it is at present that 

 is to say, when the existing solid ledges were in the formative process. 



Mr. Draper soon communicated his views to his friends, especially 

 to Captain John Wilson. Captain Wilson did the same to Dexter 

 Marsh, and Mr. Marsh to the village physician, Dr. James Deane. All 

 these gentlemen coincided with the theory of Mr. Draper, that the 

 markings were turkey-tracks ; but, as none of them were geologists, 

 they felt the need of competent advice. Accordingly, Dr. Deane sent 

 descriptions of the slabs to the State Geologist, the late Prof. Edward 

 Hitchcock, of Amherst, urging him to come and examine them. A 

 similar sketch was sent to the late Prof. Benjamin Silliman, of New 

 Haven, who expressed no opinion about it, but wished Prof. Hitchcock 

 to investigate the subject. As soon as it was convenient, this gentle-, 

 man went to Greenfield and examined the specimens. His acquaint- 

 ance with geological literature and methods of investigation apprised 

 him that this new theory, though plausible, must pass through a severe 

 ordeal before it could be established. Not merely was it questionable 

 whether footprints could be preserved for ages, but it was a monstrous 

 assumption unheard of in geological circles to talk of birds as a 

 part of the Triassic fauna ! Such an announcement could not fail to 

 evolve unanimous disapproval ; and, if premature, if published with- 

 out careful investigation, it might prove to be an egregious blunder, 

 and haunt the unfortunate author through his lifetime. 



The scientific investigation of the subject having been thus ur- 

 gently placed in Prof. Hitchcock's hands by those immediately and 

 remotely interested, he spent the summer of 1835 in studying the 

 characters derived from the progression of animals, whether birds or 

 quadrupeds. Visits were made to all the sandstone-quarries in the 

 Connecticut Valley, to menageries, museums, and libraries, thus in- 

 suring the inspection of all slabs exhibiting similar impressions, an ex- 

 amination of the feet of living animals, especially of those most nearly 

 allied to the new forms, and the assurance that nothing similar had 

 ever been found in any part of the world. The result of this pro- 

 tracted investigation indicated the truth of the first surmises that 

 these impressions were actually made by the feet of birds in the Tri- 

 assic period. A full account of the discoveries was published in Prof. 

 Silliman's magazine, the American Journal of Science and Art for 

 January, 1836. Descriptions were given of seven species of avian im- 



