from the Bunter Sandstone. 441 



are met with ; the lower face of the overlying sandstone having 

 natural casts thereof in fine relief. This clay bed is in general 

 so fragile, and intersected to such an extent with fissures, caused 

 by desiccation, previous to the deposition of the overlying beds, 

 that it is in a great measure incapable of being removed in pieces 

 of any size. It is therefore on the sandstone which rests upon 

 the clay bed that we have the impressions in their most perfect 

 state. The footmarks which are found in the greatest abundance 

 are those of the Rhynchosaurus. The impressions of a small 

 tortoise, having curved claws of considerable size, are also nume- 

 rous ; and a few steps of the Cheirotherium are likewise to be met 

 with. Amongst these there occur impressions of a tridactylous 

 character, and the position which these assume is such as to 

 indicate that they bear relation to the footprints of a bipedal 

 animal. )\\i\(\ lfrftn')o 



These markings, which are about three-quarters of an' inch* in 

 length, show three well-developed toes, the centre one being about 

 twice the size of the other two ; and the general appearance of the 

 impressions has great similitude to the Ornithic/mites diversus 

 of Hitchcock, and also to the footmark of the present Grallce. 

 The length of the stride is about 7 inches ; but as only two im- 

 pressions are found on the slab, this can only be taken as an in- 

 stance of a single stride; and as the interval between each step 

 varies in accordance with the rate of progression, the length of 

 the individual stride can give merely a general idea as to the de- 

 velopment of the legs. 



This I believe is the first instance of the occurrence of a tri- 

 dactylous footprint bearing resemblance to the step of a biped in 

 the new red sandstone of the Old World. But as Prof. Hitch- 

 cock some years ago, in ' Silliman^s Journal,' made known their 

 existence amongst the representatives of this formation in America, 

 in great quantities, we might reasonably conclude that the same 

 kind of impressions would be met with amongst the Bunter 

 sandstones of Europe. 



The conditions which prevailed during the deposition of the 

 sandstone at Weston Point were such as would afibrd the usual 

 requirements for the habitat of littoral birds ; and the occurrence 

 of vermicular markings, on the sandstone and clay, indicates that 

 the food which is commonly required for the support of such birds 

 as the stilt -plovers, prevailed in considerable quantities, and the 

 nature of the step and the length of the stride are such as to 

 sanction the opinion as to the relationship between the animals 

 which formed the impressions at Weston Point and the present 

 existing Scolopacidce. The extensive geographical range of this 

 family of birds would also appear to justify the conclusion as to 

 impressions having some connection with them, inasmuch as we 



