Jan., 



Jan.,-] 

 1913 J 



Chapman, Tracks made by Bittium cerithium. 



139 



NOTE ON TRACKS MADE BY A C OMMON GASTEROPOD, 

 BITTIUM CERITHIUM, Q. and G., sp. 



13v Frederick Chapman, A.L.S. 



(With Text Figure.) 



{Read before the Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria, gth Dec, 191 2.) 



It frequently falls to the lot of the palaeontologist to deal with 

 extremely meagre evidence as to the existence of former life, 

 especially in the more ancient sedimentary rocks. Amongst 

 the most problematic of these pieces of evidence may be 

 mentioned the tracts and trails of organisms moving over the 

 wet sand and mud of those far off times. Their tracts would, 

 in the course of events, be covered up and preserved to us 

 under a thin layer of sand or silt laid down by the next 

 incoming tide ; whilst the creatures themselves would probably 

 share a summary fate by being washed back into pools to form 

 food for the larger animals waiting to seize them. 



Any present day facts, therefore, bearing on these problematic 

 occurrences, which might throw light on the authors of these 

 cryptic writings on stone should be welcomed. Hence the 

 present note. 



During a short stay at Port Fairy (November, 1912), in 

 company with Mr. C. J. Gabriel, we noticed in searching the 

 lagoon to the east of the township, a stretch of muddy sand 



TRACK MADE BY BITTIUM CERITHIUM, Q * <i-. sp. 

 Between TiiU-s, Marine Lrif^oon, I'ort I'-.iiry. Nov., 19 u. Nat. size. 



