196 Dr DUNCAN on the Foot-marks of Quadrupeds 



impressions of feet, forming a regular track, which make twelve 

 of the right feet and as many of the left, being of course six 

 repetitions of the mark of each foot. The impressions of what 

 I take to be the fore-feet, are a little more than two inches in 

 diameter, both from claw to heel and across ; and those made by 

 what appear to be the hind-feet are of much the same size, but 

 somewhat differently shaped. The marks of five claws are dis- 

 cernible in each fore-foot, the three in front being particularly 

 distinct. The three front claws of the hind-foot may also be 

 plainly traced, and are placed nearer to each other than those 

 on the fore-foot. There has obviously been no division in the 

 sole of the foot, as is the case in the canine and feline species, 

 as well as in some other quadrupeds ; but a gentle convexity of 

 surface may be observed, especially in the fore-paw, occasioned 

 chiefly perhaps, by the act of sinking in the wet sand. The 

 depth of the strongest impression is about half an inch, and it is 

 observable that, in this specimen, the fore-feet have made some- 

 what deeper marks than those behind, a fact which may either 

 indicate a considerable length in the animal's neck, or the more 

 than ordinary weight of its head and shoulders ; for had it not 

 been for one or other of these circumstances, the chief pressure 

 would have been thrown on its hinder paws ; because the surface 

 up which it appears to have been moving was of considerable 

 steepness. 



The distance from the claw of the hind-foot to the heel of 

 the nearest impression of the fore-foot on the same side, varies 

 from an inch to an inch and a half. This, however, merely 

 marks the position of the two feet when the hinder one was 

 brought forward in moving ; and if we would ascertain the ani- 

 mal's step, that is, the length between the hind and fore foot 

 when the former was thrown back and the latter advanced *, we 



* It is not meant that the quadruped lias actually been in this position ; for tin. 1 

 hind-foot would of course be moved forward before the fore-foot was lifted. 



