384 Dr. Dearie on the Discovery of Fossil Footmarks. 

 about upon the ground, or wade in a soft beach or bed of mud, 



leaving their tracks to be filled or consolidated." 



Although it is now nearly ten years since this letter was writ- 

 ten, its contents are vivid in my memory. It was a demonstration 

 of facts ; an attempt to prove from them by the aid of analogical 

 reasoning that these splendid footprints were those of extinct birds. 

 The truth was before me, and unbiassed by preconceived notions 

 I believed it ; and I still maintain that these three letters, written 

 without a ray of knowledge other than was derived from philo- 

 sophical inductions, contain the fundamental principles and doc- 

 trines applied to the science of these organic remains. It needed 

 not the subtleties of technical learning to comprehend their mean- 

 ing, and I from the first asserted the affirmative propositions, that 

 the impressions were those of birds ; that they were alternate and 

 consecutive tracks ; that each line of footprints was characterized 

 by an individuality that carried with it unquestionable proof of 

 animal origin ;* that they were made when the stratum was in 

 an impressible state ; that the stratum was actually depressed be- 

 neath the weight of the bird, and that upon the superior stratum 

 the feet were exhibited in relief, &c. &c. I did not indeed pro- 

 ceed to a mechanical arrangement into classes and orders, but the 

 law of discovery was as fully exemplified by these perfect relics 

 as it now is after years of successful exploration. Subsequent 

 researches have sustained the sentiments of these letters, and 

 although the numbers and varieties of impressions have become 

 greatly multiplied, still the irreversible principles that apply to 

 the original examples, apply equally alike to all others. 



Nor did Mr. H. reply to this third letter ; but he subsequently 

 saw the specimens, and admitted the correctness of my views 

 which he has since repeatedly done ; views which have never 

 been refuted by persons competent to appreciate them. The love 

 of possession might have induced me to retain so rich a treasure, 

 yet I presented it to Mr. H., permitting him however, at his press- 

 ing solicitations, to reimburse the purchase money. Self-love too, 

 might have induced me to establish the honor of original discovery 

 by recording its history, but I yielded this point to him in the im- 

 plicit confidence that he would render the subject and myself im- 

 partial justice. In a letter dated Sept. 15th, 1835, he informed me 



J 



J 



* Third letter. 



