308 Ornithichnology. 



most distinct depressions on one of them, with four correspondent 

 projections on the other ; precisely resembhng the impressions of the 

 feet of a large bird in mud. Indeed, among the hundreds who have ex- 

 amined these specimens, probably no one doubts that such was their 

 origin. Having never been injured by exposure, they are perhaps 

 the most perfect specimens, that I have been able to obtain. They 

 were dug from a quarry in the southwest part of Montague, less than 

 half a mile from Connecticut river, and elevated above that stream, 

 not more than one hundred feet. The strata there, dip easterly, not 

 more than five degrees ; and the layer containing the impressions, 

 was several feet below the surface. Only one variety of track has 

 yet been discovered at that spot. 



Not long afterwards, Col. John Wilson of Deerfield, pointed out 

 to me similar impressions on the flagging stones in that village. 

 Having ascertained that these were brought from the town of Gill, 

 from a quarry on the bank of Connecticut river, at a place called the 

 Horse Race, nearly three miles higher up the stream than Turner's 

 Falls, and eight or nine miles north of the quarry in Montague, 

 above described, I visited the spot, and was gratified to find several 

 distinct kinds of similar impressions ; som.e of them very small, and 

 others almost incredibly large. This quarry lies immediately upon the 

 northern bank of Connecticut river ; the strata dipping southerly at 

 an angle of 30°, and passing directly under the stream, without any 

 intervening alluvium. The rock is a gray micaceous sandstone, very 

 much resembling, in hand specimens, some varieties of mica slate, 

 with about the same degree of hardness and not very fissile. 



In passing over the side walks at Northampton, during the sum- 

 mer, I discovered several examples of similar impressions upon the 

 flagging stones. These stones vi^ere obtained from a quarry in the 

 southeast part of the same town, on the east side of Mount Tom : 

 and on resorting thither, I found numerous examples, some of them 

 very fine, of several kinds of tracks. The strata at this spot, dip to- 

 the east, not m.ore than 10°, and pass directly beneath Connecticut 

 river, by which they are washed. There are three varieties of the 

 rock on which the impressions occur at this locality : 1, a reddish 

 shale, or rather a fine micaceous sandstone passing into shale — the 

 red marl, I suppose, of geologists : 2, a gray micaceous sandstone: 

 3, a very hard sandstone, not very fissile and quite brittle, ccrrmo- 

 sed of clay and sand. These varieties are interstratified in a rather 

 irregular manner. By the water, and the quarrymen, the rock is 



