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THE GEOLOGIST. 



gous to the Hymenocaris of the Lingula flags. Further, with reference 

 to their arrangement in single prints " alternately on each side of a straight 

 line," as Mr. Taylor states them to occur upon the slab in his possession, 

 throughout the whole of my examination of the markings at Laxey, — and 

 I have examined hundreds of specimens, — I have not been able to identify 

 distinctly any such arrangement. On numerous slabs, however, were I 

 to cover up half the marked surface, the markings would assume an appear- 

 ance very similar to that described by Mr. Taylor ; and in this way, par- 

 ticularly as by his own account the exposed surface was very limited in 

 extent, I should account for the appearances described by him. 



But although I have not found these tracks occurring in the order de- 

 scribed by Mr. Taylor, I have found them occurring in an order very similar 

 to that described in the passage from the ' Siluria ' quoted above. The ar- 

 rangement most perceptible is in groups of two, and these groups are often 

 found occurring in clusters, as would result from the " animal swimming 

 with difficulty in very shallow water." That the water in this locality was 

 very shallow we have abundant evidence. Hence I do not agree with Mr. 

 Taylor in attributing these fossil footmarks to a chelonian, but, with the 

 evidence at present before me, I am inclined to refer them to a crustacean. 



In conclusion, I would respectfully submit to the scientific world the 

 propriety of making a thorough investigation of this important discovery. 

 The discovery of these tracks is an extremely rare occurrence, and their 

 true nature is consequently proportionably mysterious to geologists ; it 

 follows therefore that their discovery in such remarkable abundance, and 

 under such favourable conditions, is a fact of very considerable importance ; 

 and I trust that this announcement of their existence, necessarily brief and 

 imperfect, will not pass unnoticed, and that the matter will receive a care- 

 ful and thorough examination at the hands of competent men. If any- 

 thing I can do will be of service in this inquiry, either by corresponding 

 on the subject, by forwarding specimens, or by personally acting as guide 

 over the locality, I shall be very glad to be of use. 



I shall be obliged if you will insert the enclosed communication in your 

 August number, as the summer is getting on, and I am anxious to attract 

 some of the English geologists over to examine the tracks. — Yours sin- 

 cerely, Thomas Grindley. 



Laxey, Isle of Man, July 24th, 1863. 



Ancient Canoe. — A remarkable discovery has been made by some 

 workmen in draining the fields which were formerly covered by the waters 

 of Giggleswick Tarn, Yorkshire. At the depth of some five feet they 

 struck upon an ancient canoe, which an eminent antiquarian, who has ex- 

 amined it, has pronounced to be Celtic, and probably not less than two 

 thousand years old. It has been hollowed out of the trunk of a huge 

 tree, probably an oak, which must have been 4 or 5 feet in diameter at 

 .east. The canoe is 7 or 8 feet long, about 2 in breadth, and 2 in depth, 

 with ends roughly and abruptly pointed. It is flat- bottomed, no doubt 

 because the lake was shallow even in ancient times. Through one of the 

 ends of the boat, which served as the stern, is a round hole, through which 

 it is conjectured a pole was thrust, either to steer the boat by or paddle 

 with. This hole was plugged up with a conical piece of wood. Not 

 the least curious parts of the canoe are two wooden icings, 5 or 6 

 inches broad, which were fastened to the sides by round plugs of wood ; 

 perhaps they served to steady the boat. Two iron crooks, each about 18 

 inches long and fastened together by a ring of iron, were found near it, 

 and look like a rude anchor. The whole thing looks as if it had been 

 made with great care, but by a nation unacquainted with planes or sharp- 



