Fossils. 
131 
localities the footprints occur in Triassic rocks. Later 
researches have shown that similar animals lived 
amongst the marshy forests of the Carboniferous 
age. Not only have magnificent skulls of this creature 
been found in the coal-beds near Glasgow and other 
places, but impressions of his footsteps have been 
found, similar to those belonging to the Triassic period. 
Owen^s name of “ Labyrinthodon is now generally iden- 
tified with this strange creature, in which science, art, 
and commerce meet very strangely together. When 
Owen obtained the first of its teeth, he found in trans- 
verse sections of it the labyrinthine structure ” (shown 
in Fig. 37). Very shortly after that drawing was 
published it reappeared in Manchester, forming the 
centre of a printed pocket-handkerchief.” 
11 we add to these reptiles and fish remains a few 
fresh- water shells, we exhaust the list of known 
animals of the Australian Triassic age. But it is not 
unreasonable to suppose that many other forms of life 
peopled the land and swarmed the seas, of which, so 
iar, no traces have come to light. The discovery of 
400 specimens of ganoids and placoids on a few square 
feet of sandstone at Gosford, points to an abundance 
ol life that will at some time yield a rich harvest to 
the geologist fortunate enough to unearth these buried 
treasures. After examining a collection of fossils 
from Gosford quarries. Professor Stephens wrote : 
“ r ^ ie collection contains hundreds of specimens of fish, 
of many genera and families, among which is a possible 
