THE GEOLOGIST. 



37 



Daubree lias just drawn our attention to a similar interesting dis- 

 covery, which he has recently made in France. At Saint Valbert, 

 between Plombieres and Luxenil, there are some large quarries of 

 Trias sandstone (variegated sandstone). It was in these quarries 

 that the geologist we have just named, had the good luck to meet 

 with impressions of the feet of quadrupeds in every respect similar 

 to those formerly discovered at Hildburghausen, in Saxony. Un- 

 derneath the thick strata of red sandstone, which is extracted for 

 building, paving, &c., there exist thin layers of another sandstone, 

 also of a reddish colour, but spotted with green, and alternating 

 with layers of clay which show a like coloration. It was in these 

 clay stratifications that M. Daubree discovered the impressions we 

 speak of: they were found on the surface of the beds of clay, 

 where they join the superposed sandstone. No doubt exists as to 

 the identity of the animal to which we owe these imprints in 

 France, with the quadruped that produced them on the Trias 

 formation in Saxony. At the side of the footprints of the larger 

 feet were found also some much smaller, having only four toes, 

 and reminding one of the feet of the Batrachian tribe. Not only 

 the form of the feet, but the minutest details of the skin of the 

 foot, are brought to light by a careful inspection of the foot-marks. 

 After having thoroughly studied these and modelled, for the sake 

 of comparison, some impressions of the feet of bears, kangaroos, 

 crocodiles, lizards, &c.* M. Daubree comes to the conclusion that 

 the quadruped who has left these traces behind him in the Trias 

 formation of Saint Valbert, must have belonged to the class of 

 Mammalia. For our part, we feel more disposed however to adhere 

 to Professor Owen's opinion alluded to above, at least until we 

 shall have more evidence to the contrary than can be furnished by 

 a mere foot-print. 



The impressions left by animals who flourished on our planet in 

 the earlier ages of the globe, teach us however some important 

 geological lessons : They attest, in the first place, that the gTound 

 over which the animal walked was soft and damp, but nevertheless 

 above water. But these sedimentary strata upon which the animal 

 made his promenades, has since been covered by another deposit, 



* These impressions were moulded in earth of the Trias formation, in which the 

 ancient footmarks were found. 



