FOOTPRINTS OF BIRDS. 501 



one of the courts then sitting. He is, besides, only a 

 common mason and gardener, but he has, nevertheless, 

 spent more time and money in searching for and digging 

 up the bird-tracks of this region, and possesses a larger 

 and finer collection of them, than any other person or 

 institution in the United States. Whoever takes the 

 trouble to ascend the valley to Amherst, to see the very 

 interesting collection contained in the museum of that 

 College, and brought together by the labours of Presi 

 dent Hitchcock, will find himself not unrewarded for 

 the additional journey to Greenfield by the inspection 

 of the collection of Mr Marsh. This collection is less 

 rich in slabs impressed by the consecutive footsteps of 

 the most gigantic of the ancient birds that which had 

 a step of six feet, a length of leg of nine feet, and a 

 height of eighteen feet. But it is richer than that of 

 Amherst in more beautiful and perfect slabs of species 

 of somewhat lesser size, and in many as yet unfigured 

 impressions both of reptiles and of birds. 



In looking at this collection made by a working man, 

 dug up either with his own hands, or by men working 

 along with him at his expense, under his direction, and 

 in spots which his own sagacity indicated as likely to 

 reward research I could not refrain from admiring the 

 enthusiasm and perseverance of their owner, and 

 regretting that, even in this intellectual State, science 

 was too poor, not only to engage such a man wholly in 

 its service, and to add to its treasures by employing him 

 unremittingly in his favourite pursuit, but that it was 

 unable even to purchase the fruits of his past labours, 

 and add them to the public collections already accumu 

 lated in so many localities. Should American patrons 

 of science, and the owners of University and State col 

 lections continue unwilling to purchase the large slabs of 

 Mr Marsh, those of European countries I hope of 

 Great Britain may secure the best he possesses for a 



