94 On new Footsteps in the Bunter Sandstone of Dumfries-shire. 



have been formed by the same foot, and therefore no inference 

 can be drawn from them concerning the creature by which they 

 were made : the elongated toes however seem to show some ana- 

 logy to lizards, and therefore it is proposed to form a genus 

 called Saurichnis for this form, and in consequence of its pointed 

 toes to term it S. acutus. 



There has been found at the Craigs quarry, not on the surfaces 

 of the beds, but on the faces of the laminae when the sandstone is 

 divided, several indistinct impressions of various forms which 

 the nature of the sandstone does not allow of being properly re- 

 cognised. Along with these a form of footstep has been seen 

 differing from those of the other localities, having an elongated 

 form, about an inch in length, and broader at the anterior extre- 

 mity than at the posterior. The space between the steps on one 

 side is about 6 inches, and the interval between the correspond- 

 ing impression on the right and on the left side is so small in 

 comparison with the distance which occurs between the steps on 

 the same side, as to show that the animal which formed them 

 was of a long and narrow shape, and probably had a lacertian 

 nature ; and perhaps was allied to the genus Herpetichnus which 

 is found at Corncockle. Owing to the imperfect state of this 

 footprint it would be premature to assign to it any name, and 

 perhaps other impressions may be found which will enable us to 

 trace out its affinities. 



About a month ago very perfect impressions of a batrachian 

 foot were found at Green Mill, Caerlaverock, being the first 

 which has been noticed in the quarries around Dumfries. In 

 this instance both the hind and the fore feet have formed beau- 

 tiful imprints. The former have the five toes distinctly visible, 

 and the form of the sole of the foot is equally well seen. Its 

 length is nearly an inch and a quarter, and its breadth about an 

 inch. The hind part of the posterior impression has a curved 

 form, resembling a segment of an ellipsis cut across the minor 

 axis ; and the toes spread outwards and are thick ; the longest 

 one being about twice the length of the sole. 



Immediately in front of the hind footmark the impress of the 

 small fore-foot is seen, consisting of five thick, short toe-marks, 

 having a depression behind them. The length of the stride ap- 

 pears to have been about 3 inches, and the space which separates 

 those on one side from those on the other is about 2 inches. 

 The portion of the foot which has pressed most heavily on the 

 sand is the hinder part, which has caused a deep indent and 

 forced the sand forwards and upwards ; so that while the heel is 

 deeply impressed, the toes are above the level of the surface of 

 the plane over which the animal traversed, showing that the hind 

 part of the foot came in contact with the ground first. 



