IMr Grierson on Footsteps before the Flood. 131 



than four separate tracks of as many different kinds of ani- 

 mals, and all of them different from two of the specimens at 

 least which were already in Dr Duncan's possession. Three 

 of these tracks were towards the south extremity of the range, 

 on the surface of the same identical layer, and two of them 

 within two or three yards of each other. The fourth one was 

 towards the north extremity, and probably on the same layer 

 as the others, but owing to some bendings in the direction of 

 the strata, and to a quantity of earth, which at one place has 

 rolled down and interrupted the view, this was what we did 

 not fully ascertain. The simple inspection of the tracks 

 themselves, however, made it impossible to doubt in what 

 manner they had been produced. The great number of the 

 impressions in uninterrupted continuity — the regular alterna- 

 tions of the right and left footsteps — the^r equidistance from 

 each other — the outward direction of the toes— the grazing of 

 the foot along the surface before it was firmly planted — the 

 deeper impression made by the toe than by the heel — the 

 forcing forward of the sandy matter of the rock by the down- 

 ward and scarcely slanting direction in which it is remarkable 

 that all the animals have traversed this singular acclivity — 

 and in the largest specimen which Dr Duncan has, and which 

 was found in a different part of the quarry — the sharp, and 

 well-defined marks of the three claws of the animal's foot — 

 are circumstances which immediately arrest the attention of 

 the observer, and force him to acknowledge that they admit 

 of only one explanation. 



Of the four different tracks here mentioned, the one which 

 was farthest to the south exhibited the deepest and most dis- 

 tinct impressions, and it was from it, therefore, that 1 wished 

 to obtain a specimen. Having selected and marked off six 

 prints of the foot, three on each side, it was found an easy 

 process to detach them, as the layer which contained them did 

 not exceed three quarters of an inch in thickness, while the 

 one on which it rested was not less than a foot and half. The 

 thinness of the slab, which rendered its separation so easy, 

 rendered it at the same time so extremely fragile, that it went 

 to pieces in the hands of the person who was removing it to 

 the bottom of the quarry, and who was forced into a running 



