126 MR. G-. HICKLING ON FOOTPRINTS [May I906, 



II. Mode of Occurrence. 



These impressions were found on slabs from the middle of 

 Bed No. 4 (in the foregoing section, p. 125). When first seen by 

 Mr. Shipman, on October 21sfc, 1897, they were still in situ ; and 

 we learn from his notes, made on that occasion, that they formed 

 two double rows, approximately parallel, which crossed the slab in 

 a direction very nearly from west to east. The longer row could 

 be traced for about 7 feet. The shorter series was by the side 

 of the longer one at a distance of a yard, and was only to be 

 followed satisfactorily for a little more than 2 feet. 1 Of these 

 impressions, nearly the whole of the longer series is preserved on 

 a large slab in the Free Public Museum, University College, Not- 

 tingham, and the prints of the right side of the shorter series are 

 in the Manchester Museum, Owens College. The left side of the 

 latter series, and a few imperfect impressions from the former, have 

 not been preserved. The overlying slab, with the natural casts, 

 was used for commercial purposes before the prints were noticed. 



III. Description of the Impressions. 



A comparison of the slabs preserved at Nottingham and Man- 

 chester respectively at once reveals the fact that both sets of im- 

 pressions were made by the same species of animal, although a very 

 slight inferiority in size of the Manchester prints (which may be 

 estimated by the stride measuring 8 inches, as against 8f inches 

 in the Nottingham examples) would seem to point to their being 

 due to different individuals. Practically, however, the principal 

 measurements will apply to both series. The chief of these are as 

 follows : — 



Inches. 



Pes: Length 3| 



Width (tip of digit I to tip of digit V) 2| 



Manus: Length 3^ 



Width 21 



Average width between middle of right and left pes b% 



Do. do. do. do. do. do. manus... 11 

 Length of stride 2 (Nottingham slab) 8| 



The general character of these impressions will be seen much 

 more clearly from the accompanying figures (pp. 127 & 128) than 

 from any amount of description which might be given. They are, 

 for the most part, very badly preserved ; and only in a few cases 

 could they be definitely recognized as footprints, had they been 

 found separately. The individual prints are characterized by their 

 * stumpy' form, by the well-marked ,heel, 'very like the heel of a boot 



1 I have since learned that more of both rows was subsequently exposed, but 

 the other portions are not preserved. 



2 ' Stride ' is here taken as the distance between successive prints of the 

 same foot. 



