28 C. Lyell on Footprints in the 
* 
Another objection to the genuineness of the footprints, arises 
from the unevenness of the surface of the rock, on which, as 
the successive layers he nearly horizontal (which is shown by sec- 
tions exhibited in the vertical walls of the pot-holes,) distinct 
planes of stratification are laid open. The only way of imagin- 
in® how so great a multitude of tracks could be exposed super- 
ficially on many different planes, would be to suppose that each 
superimposed layer was originally covered with these markings, 
all the tracks turning in one direction, so that wherever the ex- 
cavating power of water cut into a subjacent layer, it laid open 
to view some new tracks. But this hypothesis is so far from be- 
ing borne out by the facts, that after cutting into the stone in 
more than twenty places and removing small slabs with imprints 
upon them, Dr. King has never been able to detect a single in- 
dication of a footprint in the rock below. 
I have lately seen good imitations of the tracks of birds on a 
slab of limestone sculptured by Indians, at New Harmony, in the 
museum of Dr. D. D. Owen. It was brought from St. Louis in 
the state of Missouri: The different joints of the toes were 
indicated as in the Derry stone. In the immediate neighborhood 
of the ledge of Derry there are numerous graves of Indians, and 
the same place is known to have lain in the line of one op their 
paths leading from the Alleghany mountains to the west.* — 
‘It seems indeed, in the highest degree probable, ‘that ot abo- 
rigines of North America, whose skill in following the trail of all. 
kinds of game is so well attested, and who are known to have 
cut in some places on the rocks, rude imitations of the forms of 
animals, should sometimes have employed, as the symbols of the 
birds or quadrupeds which they hunted, a copy of these foot- 
prints with which they were so familiar. But the true origin of 
these markings on the Derry sandstone, may, I think, be consid- 
ents as set at rest by observations tate made in another — 
es he s Aerie human footprints in solid limestone, first discovered isd tepid 
by Me.Schooleraft in 1822, and considered by him to be genuine fossils, (Am. Jour. 
Sci., v ¥, p. 223,) will not soon be forgotten. These curious intaglios remained 
for twe enty years unexplained, menesebar ge in 1822, (Amer. Jour. of Science, vol. 
xliii, p. 14;) of all, their artificial origin, and attribu- 
|; Guetly doubt) to the ancient inhabitants of America. We refer the 
interesting paper for a full detail of the ob aera with figures 
zi fossils, and some : of the instruments w pln 5 have — 
