Bunter Sandstone of Dumfries-shire. 91 



to which this paper has immediate reference are procured from 

 the quarries around Dumfries, and differ from those which Corn- 

 cockle has hitherto afforded. Some of the impressions which are 

 found in the latter locality are also common to the other quar- 

 ries, but as these will be described in the work referred to, no 

 further notice need here be taken of them. 



Amongst the most common footmarks which are met with is 

 one in which in general there is a perfect resemblance between 

 all the impressions, so much so as to induce the spectator to ar- 

 rive at the conclusion that the hind and fore feet were identical 

 in form. On an examination of numerous specimens this opi- 

 nion would be found to be incorrect ; but, owing either to the 

 nature of the substance receiving the impression, or from the 

 structure of the animals which have produced them, it rarely 

 happens that perfect tracks are found; the fore-feet having 

 in general left no traces of their imprints, the hind feet only 

 forming the impression. In a specimen in a good state of pre- 

 servation from Locherbriggs quarry, in which both markings of 

 the fore and hind feet are shown, the latter consist of a series of 

 impressions about £ of an inch broad by about |- of an inch in 

 length, curved gently in front, immediately within which there 

 occur five impressions, of toes or rounded blunt claws ; the two 

 outer ones being comparatively indistinct, but the three inner 

 ones being broad and well-marked. At the distance of less 

 than ^ of an inch in front of the impression of the hind-foot 

 there is seen that of the fore one, which is less than \ of an inch 

 in breadth, and commonly presents three claw-like markings 

 running into each other at their sides. These toe or claw mark- 

 ings are like those of the hind impression, rounded and blunt, 

 and afford no other characters. In the case of the hind impres- 

 sion, the front part of the foot is much more deeply marked than 

 any other portion, and the sand has been thrown slightly back- 

 wards, forming an elevated curved ridge at the back part of the 

 impression, after the manner of the tracks which are formed by 

 walking on snow. The interval which separates the impressions 

 of one hind-foot from the other is about an inch, and the space 

 between each of the impressions of one foot is about 2 inches. 

 The distance between the right and left fore-feet markings is 

 greater than between the hind impressions ; but this results from 

 the comparatively small size of the former. 



This track indicates an animal of small size, but broad in pro- 

 portion to its length, having its anterior extremities small, and 

 its posterior ones largely developed. On the whole the characters 

 are such as bear relation to Chelonia, and the animal probably 

 bore some relation to the Chelichnus Duncani, Owen, found at 

 Corncockle, but was probably distinct in species. It is common 



