150 Geological Society/ : Sir P. Grey Egerton on the 



Inches. 

 Length from the root of the thumb to the point of the second 



toe 4i 



Total breadth not ascertained in consequence of the absence of 



the fourth toe. 



Breadth of the palm If 



Length of the thumb 2i 



Breadth of the ball of the thumb 1 



Length of the first toe 2 



Length of the second toe 2^ 



Length of the third toe 2^ 



Greatest breadth of the toes f 



The thumb is slightly bent back, and pointed, and the toes were 

 armed with nails. 



Traces of one animal have been observed in a continuous line 

 on a slab ten yards long. The length of the step varies a little, 

 but in general, the distance between the point of the second toe 

 of one hind foot and the point of the same toe in the hind foot 

 immediately in advance, is between 21 and 22 inches. Each fore 

 foot is placed directly in front of the hind, and the thumbs of both 

 extremities are always towards the medial line of the walk of the 

 animal. Some further observations are given by the authors with 

 respect to the progression of the animal, on the supposition that the 

 digit conjectured to be a thumb, was really the first. Conceiving 

 such to be the case, they state, that the animal must have crossed 

 its feet three inches in walking, for the right fore and hind feet are 

 placed 11 inch on the left side of the medial line, and the left fore 

 and hind" feet 11 inch on the right side of the same line. 



The casts of the Chirotherium, although the most remark- 

 able, are by no means the most numerous, which exist on the 

 Store ton sandstones. Many large slabs are crowded with casts in 

 rilievo, some of which are supposed to have been derived from the 

 feet of saurian reptiles, and others from those of tortoises. Occa- 

 sionally the webs between the toes can be distinctly traced. " It is 

 impossible," say the authors of the report, " to look at these slabs 

 and not conclude, that the clay beds on which they rested, must have 

 been traversed by multitudes of animals, and in every variety of di- 

 rection." 



A note by Mr. James Yates was then read, giving a brief account 

 of sketches of four differently characterized footsteps, traced from 

 casts procured at Storeton, each of which is distinct both from the 

 casts of the Chirotherium and the web-footed animal mentioned in 

 the preceding report. 



A paper was afterwards read " On two Casts in Sandstone of the 

 impressions of the Hind Foot of a gigantic Cliirotherium, from the 

 New Red Sandstone of Cheshire," by Sir Philip Grey Egerton, 

 Bart, M.P., F.G.S. 



These specimens first came under the notice of Colonel Egerton 

 about 1824, and they were placed in the author's cabinet in 1836 ; 

 but it was not until the recent discovery of the Chirotherium at 



