SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS 



VOL. y-J 



tion — up the steep slope of the sandstone layer, suggesting an old 

 trail leading to the water, or possibly recording a great migration of 

 animal life such as is occasionally known to take place among the 



animals of the present time. Of all the 

 trails collected and the still greater num- 

 ber observed in the field, but one ex- 

 ception to the uphill movement was 

 noted, this being the tracks of a large 

 quadruped, which clearly pointed down 

 the hill (see p. 30). In this connection 

 it is interesting to quote from Sir Wil- 

 liam Jardine's Ichnology of Aimandale 



(p. 5) : 



It is a curious fact that nearly all the foot- 

 prints are impressed as if the animal had 

 walked from west to east or from where we 

 presume water to have been toward the land. 



No doubt tracks occur in the Coco- 

 nino sandstone at many other localities, 

 having been reported on the rocks near 

 " Dripping Spring," also in the Hermit 

 Basin, but the usual precipitous face of 

 the formation, except in a few favor- 

 able places, does not permit searching 

 for them. 



Because of the many resemblances in 

 structural and lithologic features to the 

 De Chelly, Navajo, and Wingate sand- 

 stones, all of which Gregory ^ regards 

 as most certainly comprised of dune de- 

 posits. Noble is of the opinion that the 

 Coconino sandstone is essentially of 

 asolian origin. 



That the evidence afforded by foot- 

 prints of extinct animals may, in the 

 absence of other fossil criteria, be of 

 value in the correlation of widely separated formations, seems to 

 be indicated by the recognition of genericallv like, if not specifically 

 similar, tracks found in the Coconino sandstone of the Grand Canyon 



Redwall 

 limestone 



Fig. I. — Upper part of the 

 geological section at Hermit 

 Trail. Position and extent of 

 track-bearing strata indicated. 

 Section (modified) after 

 Noble. 



* Gregory, H. E., Prof. Paper q3, U. S. Geol. Surv.. IQ17, pp. 31-34, 53-55, 

 57-59- 



