^306 Dr Duncan mt the Foot-marks of Animals 



diifering in magnitude from the size of a hare's paw to that 

 of the hoof of a pony, I shall give some account of one re- 

 markable tract impressed on a slab, formerly in the possession 

 of Mr Carruthers of Dormont, (who procured it from the 

 quarry some years ago,) and now forming part of the wall of 

 a summer-house in the garden belonging to the manSe of 

 Ruthwell. On this slab, which is five feet two inches in 

 length, there are twenty-four impressions, 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 marks of the fore- 

 feet are a little moi'e than two inches in diameter, both from 

 .claw to heel and across, and those made by the hind feet are 

 of much the same size, but somewhat differently shaped. The 

 appearance of five claws is discernible in each fore paw, the 

 three in front being particularly distinct. The three front 

 claws of the hind paws may also be plainly traced, and are 

 placed nearer to each other than those of the fore feet. There 

 Jias obviously been no division in the sole of the foot, as is the 

 rcase in the canine and feline species ; but a gentle concavity 

 ^of surface may be observed, especially in the foi'e paws, occa- 

 sioned partly 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 the fore feet have made somewhat 

 deeper marks than those behind, — a fact which may either in- 

 dicate a considerable length in the animaPs neck, or the more 

 _than ordinary weight of its head and shoulders ; for, had it 

 ppt been for one or other of these circumstanoesi the chief 

 pressure would have been tlirown on its hinder paws, as is the 

 case in some other specimens, because the surface up which it 

 ^a^ .movingj was of cotisiderable steepness. The distance 

 JFrom tbe claw of the hind-foot, to the heel of the nearest im- 

 pression of the fore foot on the same side, varies, from an inch 

 to an inch and half. This, however, merely marks the posi- 

 .tion of the two feet when the hinder one was brought forward 

 in moving ; and if we would ascertain the animal's step — or 

 rather the distance between the hind and fore paw, when the 

 former was thrown back and the latter advanced — we must 

 measure from the hind foot forward, to the second impression 

 of the fore foot on the same side. Now, this gives a distance 



