PROCEEDINGS 1841 — 1848. 
177 
I have written to Mr. Lucas, Mr. Sharp, and Mr. West, to 
ascertain the views of the Philosophical Societies of Sheffield, 
Bradford, and Leeds. The latter Society's Council meet to-morrow 
evening, (Friday), I fear you will not be able to attend. I have 
suggested that if the object is merely, by a loan of a share of the 
honour, to draw from us a portion of the money to be spent in York, 
it is not worth while to stir in the matter, but that if there be a 
disposition to form a permanent union of the Philosophical Societies, 
for mutual advice, assistance and improvement, it would be well to 
enter into the consideration of the (question, and I have proposed a 
Meeting of Deputies at Normanton, to deliberate on the matter. I 
have further hinted that the proposition should comprise the Leeds 
Society. 
I must of course call a Council Meeting shortly, but I should like 
to know what day will suit you. If Tuesday, the 8th February will 
not, pray name any earlier day, and I will send out the circulars 
forthwith. 
I have asked Mr. West to bring the Smoke Consuming question 
before us at Sheffield. If you have an opportunity, pray second my 
solicitation. 
I am, my dear Sir, yours sincerely, 
Thomas Wilsox. 
At the meeting in March, 1842, held at Sheffield, Mr. WilHam 
Lee, of Sheffield, read a paper on the Fossil Footprints of the Car- 
boniferous System. The author premised that during the last 
fourteen years footprints of animals, upon the New Red Sandstone, 
had been found in Saxony, the United States, and various parts of 
England. Being at Brighouse in 1836, and visiting the quarries in 
that district, he found large slabs of stone covered with footprints 
between Brighouse and Rastrick. ]\Iany of the tracks were in straight 
lines up and down the surface, whilst some of them diverged across 
in an oblique direction, proving, as he considered, that the animals 
had walked up and down a sloping beach of fine sand to and from 
water. In 1839, during the excavation of a new coal pit near Shef- 
field, at a depth of 270 feet, he discovered footprints on fine grey 
quartose sandstone. They were of a small animal, the length of the 
