• 52 



to Prof. Hitchcock communicating to him the discovery and his 

 own convictions. The latter, aware how unexampled was the 

 occurrence of anything denoting the existence of birds at such an 

 early period as their tracks on the Red Sandstone would indicate, 

 of course could not but hesitate in admitting the force of Dr. 

 Deane's views, until he himself saw the specimens ; but observa- 

 tion of these dispelled all doubt. He immediately set himself 

 about investigating the subject, bringing to this work a mind 

 largely stored with geological knowledge, and fully appreciating 

 the bearing that his results would have upon the preconceived 

 opinions of scientific men, if he should be able to substantiate to 

 them the truth of his own opinions. Aware of the incredulity 

 with which the announcement of the discovery would be received, 

 especially abroad, he labored hard . in collecting specimens and 

 studying them, that he might not fail to carry conviction — then 

 boldly expressed his conclusions to the w^orld. His first article 

 was published in 1836. He has since given many years of his 

 life to the elucidation of the subject, and this he has done so 

 eiFectively that all doubt has been long removed as to the animal 

 origin of these impressions, and almost all as to their having been 

 made by birds. 



" To Dr. Deane also the scientific world is indebted largely 

 for information on the subject of the footprints, given by him in 

 various publications, often accompanied by drawings and engrav- 

 ings by himself of the tracks so accurate as to carry conviction 

 even if the text should fail to do so." 



Now this was all that was said by me when giving a full 

 account of the discovery of either party ; and does this seem like 

 any desire on my part to do less than full justice to* President 

 Hitchcock ? The remarks in the two papers should be consid- 

 ered together, for I made those at the time of Dr. Deane's death, 

 in full view of all I had before said to the same body. If a 

 scientific character is ascribed to the early observations of Dr. 

 Deane upon the footmarks, is it not also clearly seen that there is 

 no intention of detracting an iota from the merit of Dr. Hitch- 

 cock as the one to whom more than to anybody else, the world is 

 indebted for a full investigation of the whole subject ? 



Before concluding I will add, that of all persons I should prob- 

 ably be one of the last to do, intentionally, less than full justice to 



