Neio Genera of Batrachian Footprints. 109 



hind feet, since some amphibians show the fore limbs to 

 be stouter, and in some (Siren) the hind limbs are quite 

 wanting. But in such a possible condition amongst the 

 extinct forms of the Carboniferous Time, we cannot but 

 suppose that if the animal were walking on the land, very 

 marked evidence of the unsupported posterior part of the 

 body would be seen, in a groove or trail along the surface 

 of the mud, made by the body or tail ; the absence of a 

 " tail " mark in most cases, as well as the disparity in 

 size of the fore and foot prints in many species, supports 

 us in the surmise that in some cases at least the body was 

 sustained chiefly by the hinder limbs. 



PSEUDO BRADYPUS 11. gen. 



This remarkable form was described by Sir Wm. Daw- 

 son under the name of Sauropus unguifer. He directs at- 

 tention to the great claw on the fifth digit, of the hind 

 foot, but seemingly did not notice that the claws on the 

 other toes were also long. From the way these claws are 

 tangled and crossed one might surmise that the creature 

 did not habitually live on the ground, and that the foot 

 was not adapted for such use. The hind foot, which is 

 the one usually observed had a long sole and a prominent 

 heel. The heel was not elongate longitudinally, but trans- 

 versely ; there was also a very decided instep or hollow 

 in the sole in front of the heel. The hind foot in thi s 

 animal was a powerful member for grasping, and would 

 seem to have been adapted like that of the sloth for 

 climbing in trees. 



In walking this animal left a heavy tread which per- 

 haps was partly caused by the weight being thrown on 

 the hind feet, as it is only at intervals the print of the 

 fore foot is seen. Notwithstanding the clumsy outfit for 

 walking the animal appears to have moved rapidly, as the 

 stride is twice as long as the space between the two rows 

 of footmarks. The long interval between the footsteps 

 also indicates legs of some length. 



