EXPLANATION OF PLATE 26 a . 39 



Plate 26 a . 



Ornithichnites, or foot-marks of several extinct species of 

 birds, found in the New Red sandstone of the Valley of the 

 Connecticut.* (Hitchcock.) 



* In the American Journal of Science and Arts, January, 1836. 

 V. XXIX. No. 2. Professor Hitchcock has published a most interesting 

 account of his recent discovery of Ornithichnites, or foot-marks of 

 birds in the New Red sandstone of the valley of the Connecticut. 

 These tracks have been found at various depths beneath the actual 

 surface, in quarries of laminated flag-stones, at five places near the 

 banks of this river, within a distance of thirty-miles. The sandstone 

 is inclined from 5°, to 30°, and the Tracks appear to have been made 

 on it before the strata received their inclination. Seven of these 

 tracks occur in three or four quarries within the space of a few rods 

 square ; they are so distinct that he considers them to have been made 

 by as many different species, if not genera, of birds. (See PI. 26a. 

 Figs. 1—14. 



The footsteps appear in regular succession, on the continuous track 

 of an animal in the act of walking or running, with the right and left 

 foot always in their relative places. 



The distance of the intervals between each footstep on the same 

 track is occasionally varied, but to no greater amount than may be 

 explained by the Bird having altered its pace. Many tracks of dif- 

 ferent individuals and different species are often found crossing one 

 another ; they are sometimes crowded like impressions of feet on the 

 muddy shores of a stream, or pond, where Ducks and Geese resort. 

 (See PI. 26a. Figs. 12. 13. 14.) 



None of the footsteps appear to be those of Web-footed Birds ; they 

 most nearly resemble those of Grallag, (Waders) or birds whose habits 

 resemble those of Grallse. The impressions of three toes are usually 

 distinct, except in a few instances; that of the fourth or hind toe is 

 mostly wanting, as in the footsteps of modern Grails. 



The most remarkable among these footsteps are those of a gigan- 

 tic bird, twice the size of an Ostrich, whose foot measured fifteen 

 inches in length, exclusive of the largest claw, which measured two 

 inches. All the three toes were broad and thick. (PI. 26a. Fig. 1. 

 and PI. 26b. Fig. 1.) These largest footsteps have as yet been found 

 in one quarry only, at Mount Tom near Northampton ; here, four 

 nearly parallel tracks of this kind were discovered, and in one of 

 them six footsteps appeared in regular succession, at the distance of 



