264 
FOSSIL FISHES. 
SECTION XIII. 
FOSSIL FISHES. 
The liistoiy of Fossil Fishes is the branch 
of Paleontology which has hitherto received 
least attention, in conseijuence of the imperfect 
nating with beds of red sandstone, nearly of the same age with 
that of Dumfries. (See PI. 26'. 26". 26"'.) 
The following account of them is collected from notices by 
Dr. Hohnbaum and Professor Kaup. “ The impressions of feet 
are partly hollow, and partly in relief; all the depressions are 
upon the upper surfaces of slabs of sandstone, whilst the reliefs 
are only upon the lower surfaces, covering those which bear the 
depressions. These reliefs are natural casts, formed in the sub- 
jacent footsteps as in moulds. On one slab (see PI. 26') six 
feet long by five feet wide, there occur many footsteps of 
more than one animal, and of various sizes. The larger im- 
pressions, which seem to be of the hind foot, are eight inches 
long, and five wide. (See PI. 26".) One was twelve inches 
long. Near to each large footstep, and at the regular dis- 
tance of an inch and a half before it, is a smaller print of a 
fore foot, four inches long and three inches wide. These foot- 
steps follow one another in pairs, at intervals of fourteen inches 
from pair to pair, each pair being in the same line. Both 
large and small steps have the great toes alternately on the 
right and left side ; each has the print of five toes, and the first, 
or great toe is bent inwards like a thumb. The fore and hind 
foot are nearly similar in form, though they difier so greatly in 
size. 
On the same slabs are other tracks, of smaller and diffe- 
