28 Human Foot-Prints in Solid Limestone. 
‘Ist. Because the foot-prints are not continuous, but isolated. 
2d. Because (as it would seem) this is a solitary instance of 
human foot-prints in solid limestone. 
3d. Because of the difficulty in conceiving the sudden ‘consoli- 
dation of compact limestone rock, after having received, while in 
a plastic state, such impressions. 
Lastly, and chiefly, because of the age, nature, and position of 
the rock, and because no human remains whatever have hitherto 
been discovered in any similar formation. 
The isolated position of our foot-prints affords a strong pre- 
sumption agaiust their fossil origin. ‘‘ The footsteps of the walk- 
ing man cannot be followed farther.” Mr. Anderson distinctly 
states, that careful search has failed to detect any other human 
tracks in the vicinity of St. Louis. Were the tracks under con- 
sideration those of a bird instead of those of man, the fact of 
there being but a single pair might be accounted for under the 
supposition that a winged creature lit and rose from the same 
spot ; though, so far as I know, even ornithichnites have always 
been found continuous ; but we can hardly imagine under what 
circumstances a man could: impress, thus evenly and naturally,.a 
single pair of foot-prints on a soft and yielding warianey’ witee 
hensing: thereon other traces of his steps. 
- The limestone stratum containing them, is not a partial vedi 
barat extensive layer, necessarily deposited at one and the same 
time. There seems, therefore, every probability, that other foot- 
marks would have been discovered on adjacent parts of the rock, 
had those under consideration been actually made by human feet 
in plastic calcareous matter. 
If the specimen in my possession be unique of its kind, that 
circumstance also is strong evidence against its fossil origin; and 
it would appear that it isso. Every writer, American or Euro- 
pean, who treats of impressions of human tracks in solid rock, 
alludes to the specimen which forms the subject of the present 
article ; all expressly referring to the St. Louis locality, and ap- 
parently unacquainted with any other, Yet we have already 
seen, that in that vicinity, none but the foot-printe 4 in. oe oa 
sion have | been discovered. 
Until other similar i impressions, or efter seapite mins shall 
be found in rocks of a similar character, the ‘presumption must 
remain strong against the fossil origin of these. 
