418 
that, in such matters as this, careful induction is the only way 
to arrive at truth. 
I fear that to many of my hearers I have been tedious, by 
too minute a description of place and circumstance ; but my 
object in being thus particular is to excite a spirit of inquiry 
among the geologists of the West-Riding, in many other 
parts of which, I have no doubt, fossil foot-prints may be 
found. 
For the information of those who may choose to examine 
other localities, I beg to add, that the specimens from the 
coal-pit are about 25 yards above the Sheffield coal seam. 
The red stone from Holly-street overlies the calliard or 
gannister coal beds; and the impressions from Fullwood 
Moors, Hill Bridge, Walkley, Thornset, Whirlow Bridge, 
and Clough Field, are between the gannister beds and the 
Mill-stone Grit. 
The geological position of the Elland Flag-stone, where 
I first perceived these foot-prints, nearly corresponds with 
the place of those found in this neighbourhood. They are, 
therefore, almost peculiar to the lower or gannister coal series, 
and add another singular circumstance to the many curious 
phenomena already observed in that part of our coal-field. 
And now I have only to thank the audience for the 
kind attention they have paid to my observations ; and 
to say, that if I have been the means of adding one fact to 
the science which it is the object of this society to extend, 
I have not laboured in vain, nor have I wasted the time of 
this large and influential meeting, by bringing before your 
notice these unique but satisfactory proofs that reptiles existed 
upon the surface of the globe at the early period of the 
Carboniferous system. 
