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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/34056-8.txt b/34056-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..78720e7 --- /dev/null +++ b/34056-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1561 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Remarks on some fossil impressions in the +sandstone rocks of Connecticut River, by John Collins Warren + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Remarks on some fossil impressions in the sandstone rocks of Connecticut River + +Author: John Collins Warren + +Release Date: October 11, 2010 [EBook #34056] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FOSSIL IMPRESSIONS--CONNECTICUT RIVER *** + + + + +Produced by Tom Cosmas and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + + + + + + + + + [Illustration: Slab with fossil impressions] + + + + + REMARKS + ON SOME + FOSSIL IMPRESSIONS + IN + THE SANDSTONE ROCKS OF CONNECTICUT RIVER. + + BY + JOHN C. WARREN, M.D. + PRESIDENT OF THE BOSTON SOCIETY OF NATURAL HISTORY. + + [Illustration: Logo] + + BOSTON: + TICKNOR AND FIELDS, + 135, Washington Street. + 1854. + + + + BOSTON: + PRINTED BY JOHN WILSON AND SON, + 22, School Street. + + + + +The principal part of these remarks were made at the meetings of +the BOSTON SOCIETY OF NATURAL HISTORY. A portion of them also +have been printed in the Proceedings of the Society. + +The object of this publication is to afford to those who are not +members of the Society an opportunity of obtaining some knowledge +of Fossil Impressions, which they might not be able to obtain +elsewhere so conveniently. + +Some account of the Epyornis seems to be very properly connected +with Ornithichnites. + +The first of these papers was written in October, 1853; the others +in the earlier part of the present year. + + + + + [Illustration: Epyornis] + + + THE EPYORNIS; + + OR, + + GREAT BIRD OF MADAGASCAR, AND ITS EGGS. + + +In the course of the year 1851, an account was circulated of the +discovery of an immense egg, or eggs, in the Island of Madagascar. The +size of the eggs spoken of was so disproportionate to that of any +previously known, that most persons received the account with +incredulity; and, I must confess, I was one of this number. Being in +Paris soon after hearing of this report, I made inquiry on the +subject, and was surprised to learn, that the great egg was actually +existing in the Museum of Natural History in Paris. In a few days I +had an opportunity of seeing a cast of it in the hands of the artist, +M. Strahl, of whom I solicited one. He informed me that it could not +be obtained at that moment; but that, if my request were made known to +the Administration of the Museum, he had no doubt they would accede to +it. I accordingly did apply, and also presented them with the cast of +a perfect head of Mastodon Giganteus; and they very liberally granted +my request. + +The distinguished naturalist, Professor Geoffroy St. Hilaire, the +second of that honorable name, has made a statement to the Academy of +Sciences, which, though only initiatory, contains many facts of a very +interesting nature, some of which I have had an opportunity of +verifying; and to him we are indebted for a greater part of the +others. + +The eggs sent to me are, in number, two; one of which was purchased by +M. Abadie, captain of a French vessel, from the natives. Another was +soon afterwards found, equal in size. A third egg was discovered in an +alluvial stratum near a stream of water, together with other valuable +relics of the animal which had probably produced them; but, +unfortunately, it was broken during transportation. Of the two eggs, +one is of an ovoid form, having much the shape of a hen's egg; and the +other is an ellipsoid. + +The ovoid egg is of enormous size, even when compared with the largest +egg we are acquainted with. Its long diameter exceeds thirteen inches +of our English measure, its short diameter eight, and its long +circumference thirty-three inches. Its capacity is thought to be equal +to eighteen liquid pints, or to be six times greater than that of the +largest egg known to us (the ostrich), although but twice its length. +It is said to be equal to a hundred and forty-eight hen eggs. The +ellipsoid egg has its longest diameter somewhat less than that of the +ovoid; its short diameter nearly equals that of the other egg, being +more than eight inches. The third egg, although broken, has been very +useful to science, by displaying the thickness of the shell, which is +about one-tenth of an inch. + +The bones, of which I have received the casts, are three in number, +and of great interest. One of them is a characteristic fragment of the +upper part of a fibula; the other two, still more interesting, as +enabling us to determine the class and genus of the animal to which +they belong, exhibit the extremities of the right and left +tarso-metatarsal bones. The former is somewhat broken; the latter is +nearly perfect, and exhibits the triple division of the inferior +extremity of the bone into the three trochleæ or pulley-shaped +processes of the struthious birds. It might be mistaken for a bone of +the great Dinornis, but is distinguished from this by the flatness of +the portion above the trochleæ. Still less is it one of the bones of +the ostrich, its three pulleys being separated from each other by +distinct intervals; whereas the pulleys of the ostrich have only one +such separation, constituting two distinct eminences. + +M. Geoffroy St. Hilaire considered himself justified, from these and +other facts, in deciding this bone to belong to a bird of a new genus, +to which he gives the name of EPYORNIS, from _aipys_, _high_, +_tall_, and _ornis_, _bird_; and, as probably it is a specimen of the +largest animal of the family, he affixes the specific name of +_maximus_. + +The size of this bird, inferred from that of its egg, would be vastly +superior to that of the ostrich. But if we notice the comparative size +of the trochleated extremity of the tarso-metatarsal bone, we shall +see that its height would be greatly exaggerated by adopting such a +basis for its establishment; in fact, it would not probably exceed a +height double that of the ostrich. And, though it must have been +superior to that of the Dinornis maximus of Prof. Owen, it might +perhaps excel it only by the difference of two or three feet. A bird +of twelve or thirteen feet in height would, however, if we stood in +its presence, appear enormous, and must have greatly astonished and +terrified the natives of Madagascar. Whether it now exists is +uncertain, as it may possibly have a habitation in the wild recesses +of the island, which have never yet been visited by any European +traveller. + +The credit of most of the observations and discoveries relating to +this remarkable bird is attributable to French naturalists;[A] and it +seems to be a duty devolving on English and American navigators to +complete the history thus happily begun, and to tell us whether the +Epyornis still exists in the mountain-forests of Madagascar, or at +least present us with its extraordinary relics. + + [Footnote A: The following are the names of French travellers, who + have been supposed to have seen the eggs of the Epyornis in the + Island of Madagascar: M. Sganzin, in 1831; M. Goudot, in 1833; M. + Dumarele, in 1848; and M. Abadie, in 1850.] + + + + + FOSSIL IMPRESSIONS.--I. + + +Ichnology, a newly created branch of science, takes its name from the +Greek word _ichnos_, a _track_ or _footstep_, and the tracks +themselves have been denominated Ichnites, or, when they refer to +birds only, Ornithichnites, from _ornis_, a _bird_. And this last term +has by custom been generally applied to ancient impressions, though +not correctly. + +Geology has revealed to us not only the remains of animals and +vegetables, but the impressions made by them during their lives, and +even the impressions of unorganized bodies. The first notice of these +appearances was, as often happens, regarded with indifference or +scepticism; but their number and variety enlightened the public mind, +and opened a new source of information and improvement. + +The first remarkable observation made on fossil footsteps was that of +the Rev. Dr. Duncan, of Scotland, in 1828. He noticed, in a _new red +sandstone_ quarry in Dumfriesshire, impressions of the feet of small +animals of the tortoise kind, having four feet, and five toes on each +foot. They were seen in various layers through a thickness of forty +feet or more. + +Sandstone, in which these impressions are principally discovered, is a +rock composed chiefly of siliceous and micaceous particles cemented +together by calcareous or argillaceous paste, containing salt, and +colored with various shades of the oxide of iron, particularly the +red, gray, brown. It has been remarked by Prof. H. D. Rogers, that the +perfection of the surface containing fossil footmarks is often +attributable to a micaceous deposit. The layers of sandstone have been +formed by deposits from sea-water, dried in succession; such layers +are also seen in the roofing slate. These deposits on the shores of +the ocean, having in a soft condition received the impressions of the +feet of birds, other animals, vegetables, and also of rain-drops, +under favorable circumstances dried, hardened, and formed a rock of +greater or less solidity. Our colleague, Dr. Gould, has exhibited to +us a specimen of dried clay from the shores of the Bay of Fundy, +containing beautiful impressions, recently made, of the footsteps of +birds. The particles brought by the waves, and deposited in the manner +described, were derived from the destruction of other rocks previously +existing, particularly granite and flint, or silex, the shining atoms +of which compose no small part of the sandstone rock. + +It is easy to conceive, that, while these deposits were taking place +in the soft condition, portions of vegetable matters might become +intermixed; and that these, with the impressions of the feet and other +parts of animals and unorganized substances, might be preserved by the +process of desiccation. The agency of internal heat may have also been +employed in some cases in baking and hardening these crusty layers. + +The sandstone rock, though in some places actually in a state of +formation at the present time, lies in such a manner in the earth's +crust as to indicate an immense antiquity. The age of these beds +varies in different situations. The sandstone rocks which contain the +greater part of the impressions are called _new red sandstone_, to +distinguish them from the _old red_, which is of a greater age. The +deposits on Connecticut River may not be attributed to the action of +this river, but are of higher antiquity, probably, than the river +itself, and proceeded from the waves of an ancient sea, existing in a +state of the surface of the globe very different from that of the +present day. + +In 1834, tracks were discovered near Hildberghausen in Saxony, to +which Prof. Kaup, of Darmstadt, gave the name of Chirotherium, from +the resemblance to the impressions of the human hand. On a subsequent +examination, Prof. Owen preferred the name of Labyrinthodon, from the +resemblance of the folds in the teeth to the convolutions of the +brain. + +Various other instances of impressions were seen; and, in the year +1835, Dr. Deane and Mr. Marsh, residents of Greenfield, noticed +impressions resembling the feet of birds in sandstone rocks of that +neighborhood. These observations having come to the knowledge of +President Hitchcock, of Amherst College, that gentleman began a +thorough investigation of the subject, followed it up with unremitted +ardor, and has, since 1836 (the date of his first publication), laid +before the public a great amount of ichnological information, and +really created a new science. Dr. Deane, on his part, has not been +idle: besides making valuable discoveries, he has written a number of +excellent papers to record some portion of his numerous observations. + +In 1837, at the request of my friend Dr. Boott, I carried to London, +for the Museum of the Royal College of Surgeons, various scientific +objects peculiar to this country; among which were a number of casts +of Ornithichnites. + +These casts were kindly furnished me by President Hitchcock, and the +Government of the Royal College thereon voted to present to President +Hitchcock and Amherst College casts of the skeleton of the famous +Megatherium of South America. These casts were packed, and sent to be +embarked in a ship destined for Boston, but were unluckily delivered +to a wrong shipping house in London, and I lost sight of them for some +time. They were at length discovered. After remaining in this +situation for more than a year, they were sold at public auction; and, +notwithstanding many efforts on my part, I was unable to obtain and +transmit them to Amherst College. + +The fossil impressions which have been distinguished in various places +in the new red sandstone are those of birds, frogs, turtles, lizards, +fishes, mollusca, crustacea, worms, and zoophytes. Besides these, the +impressions made by rain-drops, ripple-marks in the sand, coprolites +or indurated remains of fæces of animals, and even impressions of +vegetables, have been preserved and transmitted from a remote +antiquity. No authentic human impressions have yet been established; +and none of the mammalia, except the marsupials.(?) We must, however, +remember that, although the early paleontology contains no record of +birds, the ancient existence of these animals is now fully +ascertained. Remains of birds were discovered in the Paris gypsum by +Cuvier previous to 1830. Since that time, they have been found in the +Lower Eocene in England, and the Swiss Alps; and there is reason to +believe that osseous relics may be met with in the same deposits which +contain the foot-marks. Most of the bird-tracks which have been +observed, belong to the wading birds, or Grallæ. + +The number of toes in existing birds varies from two to five. In the +fossil bird-tracks, the most frequent number is three, called +tridactylous; but there are instances also of four or tetradactylous, +and two or didactylous. The number of articulations corresponds in +ornithichnites with living birds: when there are four toes, the inner +or hind toe has two articulations, the second toe three, the third toe +four, the outer toe five. The impressions of the articulations are +sometimes very distinct, and even that of the skin covering them. + +President Hitchcock has distinguished more than thirty species of +birds, four of lizards, three of tortoises, and six of batrachians. + +The great difference in the characters of many fossil animals from +those of existing genera and species, in the opinion of Prof. Agassiz, +makes it probable that in various instances the traces of supposed +birds may be in fact traces of other animals, as, for example, those +of the lizard or frog. And he supports this opinion, among other +reasons, by the disappearance of the heel in a great number of +Ornithichnites. + +D'Orbigny, to whom we are indebted for the most ample and systematic +work on Paleontology ("Cours Elémentaire de Paléontologie et de +Géologie," 5 vols. 1849-52), does not accept the arrangement of +President Hitchcock. He objects to the term Ornithichnites, and +proposes what he considers a more comprehensive arrangement into +organic, physiological, and physical impressions. _Organic +impressions_ are those which have been produced by the remains of +organized substances, such as vegetable impressions from calamites, +&c. _Physiological impressions_ are those produced by the feet and +other parts of animals. _Physical impressions_ are those from +rain-drops and ripple-marks; and to these may be added coprolites in +substance. This plan of D'Orbigny seems to exclude the curious and +interesting distinctions of groups, genera, and species; in this way +diminishing the importance of the science of Ichnology. + +Fossil impressions have been found on this continent in the +carboniferous strata of Nova Scotia, and of the Alleghenies; in the +sandstone of New Jersey, and in that of the Connecticut Valley in a +great number of places, from the town of Gill in Massachusetts to +Middletown in Connecticut, a distance of about eighty miles. + +A slab from Turner's Falls, obtained for me by Dr. Deane in 1845, +measuring two feet by two and a half, and two inches in thickness, +contains at least ten different sets of impressions, varying from five +inches in length to two and a half, with a proportionate length of +stride from thirteen inches to six. All these are tridactylous, and +represent at least four different species. In most of them the +distinction of articulation is quite clear. The articulations of each +toe can readily be counted, and they are found to agree with the +general statement made above as to number. The impressions are +singularly varied as to depth; some of them, perfectly distinct, are +superficial, like those made by the fingers laid lightly on a mass of +dough, while others are of sufficient depth nearly to bury the toes; +some of the tracks cross each other, and, being of different sizes, +belong to animals of different ages or different species. There is one +curious instance of the tracks of a large and heavy bird, in which, +from the softness of the mud, the bird slipped in a lateral direction, +and then gained a firm footing; the mark of the first step, though +deep, is ill-defined and uncertain; the space intervening between the +tracks is superficially furrowed; in the settled step, which is the +deepest, the toes are very strongly indicated. On the same surface are +impressions of nails, which may have belonged to birds or chelonians. + +The inferior surface of the same slab exhibits appearances more +superficial, less numerous, but generally regular. There are three +sets of tracks entirely distinct from each other; two of them +containing three tracks, and one containing two,--the latter being +much the largest in size. In addition, there is one set of tracks, +which are probably those of a tortoise. These marks present two other +points quite observable and interesting. One is that they are +displayed in relief, while those on the upper surface are in +depression. The relief in this lower surface would be the cast of a +cavity in the layer below; so the depressions in the upper surface +would be moulds of casts above. The second point is the +non-correspondence of the upper and lower surfaces; i.e. the +depressions in the upper surface have not a general correspondence +with the elevations on its inferior surface. The tracks above were +made by different individuals and different species from those below. +This leads to another interesting consideration, that in the thickness +of this slab there must be a number of different layers, and in each +of them there may be a different series of tracks. + +To these last remarks there is one exception: the deep impression in +which the bird slipped in a lateral direction corresponds with an +elevation on the lower surface, in which the impression of these toes +is very distinctly displayed, and even the articulations. Moreover, +one of the tracks on the inferior surface interferes with the outer +track in the superior, and tends in an opposite direction, so that +this last-described footstep must have been made before the other. It +is also observable, that, while all the other tracks are superficial, +this last penetrates the whole thickness of the slab; thus showing +that the different deposits continued some time in a soft state. + +On the surfaces of this slab, particularly on the upper, there are +various marks besides those of the feet, some of which seem to have +been made by straws, or portions of grass, or sticks; and there is a +curved line some inches in length, which seems to have arisen from +shrinkage. + +In the collection of Mr. Marsh,[B] there were two slabs of great size, +each measuring ten by six feet, having a great number of impressions +of feet, and about the same thickness as the slab under examination. +One of these presented depressions; and the other, corresponding +reliefs. These very interesting relations were necessarily parted in +the sale of Mr. Marsh's collection; one of them being obtained for the +Boston Society of Natural History, and the other for the collection of +Amherst College. + + [Footnote B: Mr. Marsh was a mechanic of the town of Greenfield, + and procured his subsistence by his daily labor. Being employed by + Dr. Deane in obtaining the sandstone slabs of Ornithichnites, he + acquired a taste for the pursuit, entered into it with + extraordinary ardor, and accumulated by his own labors a great + collection of fine specimens. He unfortunately fell into a + consumption, and died in 1852. The collection was sold at public + auction for a sum between two and three thousand dollars. The + specimens were purchased by the Boston Society of Natural History, + by Amherst College, and by varioud colleges and scientific + associations in this country.] + +The _Physical Impressions_, according to Professor D'Orbigny, are +of three kinds, viz.: 1st, Rain-drops; 2d, Ripple-marks; and 3d, +Coprolites. I have a slab which exhibits two leptodactylous +tracks very distinct, about an inch and a half long, surrounded +by impressions of rain-drops and ripple-marks. Another specimen +exhibits the impressions of rain in a more distinct and remarkable +manner. The imprints are of various sizes, from those which might +be made by a common pea to others four times its diameter; some +are deep, others superficial and almost imperceptible. They are +generally circular, but some are ovoid. Some have the edge equally +raised around, as if struck by a perpendicular drop; and others +have the edge on one part faintly developed, while another part is +very sharp and well defined, as if the drop had struck obliquely. +It has been suggested, that these fossil rain-drops may have been +made by particles of hail; but I think the variety of size and +depth of depression would have been more considerable if thus +made. + +Although we have necessarily treated the subject of fossil +footmarks in a very brief way, sufficient has been said to show +that this new branch of Paleontology may lead to interesting +results. The fact that they are, in some manner, peculiar to this +region, seems to call upon our Society to obtain a sufficient +number of specimens to exhibit to scientific men a fair +representation of the condition of Ichnology in this quarter of +our country; and we have therefore great reason to congratulate +ourselves, that, through the vigilance and spirit of our members, +the Society has the expectation of obtaining a rich collection +of ichnological specimens. + + + + + FOSSIL IMPRESSIONS.--II. + + +Since writing the preceding article, I have been able to obtain, +through the kindness of President Hitchcock, a number of additional +specimens of fossil impressions. By the aid of these, I may hope to +give an idea of the system of impressions, so far as it has been +discovered, without, however, attempting to enter into minute details. +For these, I would refer to the account of the "Geology of +Massachusetts," by President Hitchcock; to his valuable article +published in the "Memoirs of the American Academy;" and to his +geological works generally. + +The numerous tracks which have been assembled together in the +neighborhood of Connecticut River have afforded an opportunity of +prosecuting these studies to an extent unusual in the primitive rocky +soil of New England. These appearances are not, indeed, wholly new. +Such traces had been previously met with in other countries; but, in +their number and variety, the valley of the Connecticut abounds above +all places hitherto investigated. + +Twenty years have elapsed since the study of Ichnology has been +prosecuted in this country; and, in this period of time, about +forty-nine species of animal tracks have been distinguished in the +locality mentioned, according to President Hitchcock; which have been +regularly arranged by him in groups, genera, and species. + +I propose now to lay the specimens, recently obtained, before the +Society, as a slight preparation for the more numerous and more +valuable articles which they are soon to receive. + +The traces found on ancient rocks, as has been shown in the previous +article, are those of animals, vegetables, and unorganized substances. +The traces of animals are produced by quadrupeds, birds, lizards, +turtles, frogs, mollusca, worms, crustacea, and zoophytes. These +impressions are of various forms: some of them simple excavations; +some lines, either straight or curved, and others complicated into +various figures. + +President Hitchcock has based his distinctions of fossil animal +impressions on the following characters, viz.:-- + + 1. Toes thick, pachydactylous; or thin, leptodactylous. + 2. Feet winged. + 3. Number of toes from two to five, inclusive. + 4. Absolute and relative length of the toes. + 5. Divarication of the lateral toes. + 6. Angle made by the inner and middle, outer and middle toes. + 7. Projection of the middle beyond the lateral toes. + 8. Distance between tips of lateral toes. + 9. Distance between tips of middle and inner and outer toes. + 10. Position and direction of hind toe. + 11. Character of claw. + 12. Width of toes. + 13. Number and length of phalangeal expansions. + 14. Character of the heel. + 15. Irregularities of under side of foot. + 16. Versed sine of curvature of toes. + 17. Angle of axis of foot with line of direction. + 18. Distance of posterior part of the foot from line of direction. + 19. Length of step. + 20. Size of foot. + 21. Character of the integuments of the foot. + 22. Coprolites. + 23. Means of distinguishing bipedal from quadrupedal tracks. + +By these characters, President Hitchcock has distinguished +physiological tracks, or those made by animated beings, into ten +groups provisionally. To these may be added, "organic impressions," +made by organized bodies; and the impressions made by inanimate +bodies, called "physical impressions." + +The specimens under our hands enable us to give some notion of the +distinctions which characterize the greater part of these groups. + + * * * * * + + GROUP FIRST--STRUTHIONES. + +The ostrich-tracks present a numerous natural and most remarkable +group; remarkable from the great size of some species,--all of them +tridactylous and pachydactylous. The ostrich of the Old World has only +two toes, but this family exists in South America at the present time +under the name of Rhea Americana; and tracks of an animal, probably of +the same family, are found in the numerous impressions near +Connecticut River,--all of them having three toes in front, and the +rudiment of a fourth behind. + +This group contains a number of genera. The FIRST GENUS, denominated +_Brontozoum_, presents the tracks of a most extraordinary bird. These +tracks appear less questionable since the discovery in Madagascar of +the eggs of the Epyornis. + +The tracks of the largest species, the BRONTOZOUM GIGANTEUM, are +four times the magnitude of those made by the existing ostrich of +Africa. They are very numerous, and congregated together. The foot of +the Brontozoum Giganteum, including the inferior extremity of the +tarso-metatarsal bone, which makes a part of the foot, measures in our +specimen twenty inches; in the Mastodon Giganteus, the foot measures +twenty-seven inches; the width also is less, being ten inches across +the metacarpals, while that of the Mastodon is twenty-two: but the one +is a bird, the other a quadruped. The toes are three in number, and +present the same divisions with existing birds; the inner toe having +three, the middle four, the outer five phalanges. Some of the +articulations of the toes of this noble specimen are remarkable for +the manner in which they illustrate the mode of formation of the +tracks. These phalanges have become separated from the solid rock in +which they were encased, so as to be removable at pleasure; and they +thus show that the whole foot is not a simple impression in the rock +which contains it, but a depression filled by foreign materials, i.e. +by sand, clay, and other relics of pre-existing rocks. These materials +had been gradually deposited in the mould formed by the bird's foot, +and are therefore independent of this rock, in the same way as the +plaster-of-Paris cast of a tooth, or any other body, is independent of +the mould to which it owes its form. The impressions are in gray +sandstone. + +On the reversed surface of the slab is seen a small piece of broken +quartz, about half an inch square. This piece forms a beautiful +illustration of a part of the process by which the sandstone rocks are +formed. + +The second species of the same genus is the BRONTOZOUM SILLIMANIUM. +Of this we have three specimens; the tracks have the same general +character with the preceding, but are smaller. + +The third species of this genus is styled the BRONTOZOUM LOXONYX, +from _loxos_, a _bow_, and _onyx_, a _nail_,--a curved nail. It is +smaller than the Sillimanium, and has the nail set to one side. + +The fourth species, still smaller, is the Brontozoum Gracillimum. On +this slab the impressions are in relief; viz.: 1st, of Brontozoum +Gracillimum; 2d, of Brontozoum Parallelum; 3d, of the track of a +tortoise, fourteen inches long, and two wide. Other extensive +eminences and depressions, with rain-drops, may be observed on the +same surface. + +The fifth species is called BRONTOZOUM PARALLELUM, from the tracks +being on a line with each other. Of this there are two specimens, one +of them, however, being a single track. On the surface of the other +slab there are at least five distinct tracks, one of them being a +small new and undescribed species,--thus making the whole number of +species of Brontozoum which we possess to be at least six. + +The SECOND GENUS of Struthiones is called _Æthyopus_, from +_aithuia_, a _gull_, and _pous_, a _foot_,--gull-footed. This genus +is smaller than the Brontozoum Giganteum; and we have two species, +viz. the ÆTHYOPUS LYELLIANUS, which is the larger, and two specimens +of ÆTHYOPUS MINOR. All of these are distinguished from the preceding +genus by the winged foot, and in the Lyellianus by the shallowness of +the impression. The Æthyopus Minor is not always distinguished by the +superficiality of its impression. This is sometimes deep. Therefore +this character may not be considered a distinctive one, or the +Æthyopus Minor might be referred to another genus. Of the two +specimens of this latter species, the first is in depression, +tridactylous. The depressions are deep with rain-drops, marks of +quadrupeds and zoophytes over the whole surface. The ornithichnic +impressions are two in number; one superficial, the other very deep. +The reversed surface of this slab contains one tridactylous impression +in relief. The second specimen has three depressions; two of which are +superficial, and the third is quite deep, displaying, by a depressed +surface, the webbed character of the foot. + + * * * * * + + GROUP SECOND. + +We shall take, to characterize this group, the _Argozoum_, from +_argês_, _swift_, _winged_. + +Of this genus there are two species, the larger of which is the +ARGOZOUM DISPARIDIGITATUM. It is leptodactylous, and remarkable for +the length of the middle toe. We have another species, which is +smaller than the last named, and in which the toes are nearly of equal +length; hence called ARGOZOUM PARIDIGITATUM. + +The other genus of this group is the PLATYPTERNA, and our specimen +is named _Deaniana_. This genus is remarkable for the width of the +heel; hence the name, from _platys_, _broad_, and _pterna_, _a heel_. +It has three toes like the other genera of this group. + + * * * * * + + GROUP THIRD. + +This and the succeeding group are tetradactylous; having one toe +behind, three forwards. + +The third group is leptodactylous; foot usually small, but sometimes +of medium size. Of it we have two specimens, viz.: ORNITHOPUS +GALLINACEUS, and ORNITHOPUS GRACILIS. The former is so called from the +resemblance to the domestic fowl: for convenience sake, in this and +other instances, we use the whole for a part. It is about three inches +in length, and the Ornithopus Gracilis about two. + +This latter specimen is particularly interesting. It consists of two +parts, which open like the covers of a book. These covers present four +impressions: first, the superficial, which is distinct, slender, and +beautiful--the heel is broad; second, corresponding with this +depression and on the inside, is a figure in relief as distinct as the +depression; third, on the inside of the second cover is a depression +corresponding with the relief last mentioned; fourth, on the outer +side is a second relief corresponding with the second depression, but +less distinct than either of the other three, still, however, +exhibiting three toes pointing anteriorly, but the hind toe is +wanting. The whole of this double slab forms a series of cameos and +intaglios, measuring four inches by three, and in thickness an inch +and a quarter. + + * * * * * + + GROUP FOURTH. + +Of the fourth group we have five specimens. The _Triænopus_, so called +from its resemblance to a trident, has besides three leptodactylous +toes pointing forwards, a fourth extending backwards in a remarkable +way, like the handle of a trident; the impression, however, being +expanded so as to show an extensive displacement of the mud. All the +specimens of Triænopus are in a beautiful red shale, very thin and +fragile, but presenting well-defined impressions, generally about +three inches long. + +There are two species to this genus. Of the TRIÆNOPUS EMMONSIANUS we +notice three impressions in relief. In another specimen there is the +appearance of a part of the toes of the Anomoepus Scambus, and on the +upper side are seen two excavations corresponding with the three +impressions. In the last slab, the track of the TRIÆNOPUS BAILEYANUS +appears to have been made by two feet placed successively in the same +spot, which led President Hitchcock to suspect it might have been made +by a quadruped. One of the specimens has the Triænopus tracks +intermixed in a peculiar way with other impressions. + +The specimen representing the genus HARPEDACTYLUS is larger than the +preceding; and, though leptodactylous, the toes are much broader and +also more curved, whence the name Harpedactylus, _sickle-finger_, from +_harpê_ and _daktylos_. + + * * * * * + + GROUP FIFTH. + +The fifth group differs much from the four previous ones. In this and +the following groups we pass from the vestiges of birds to those of +other animals, some of which are bipeds, some quadrupeds. Many +impressions are without any distinct character, belonging probably to +the lower animals, to vegetables, and unorganized bodies. + +The fifth group comprehends the tracks of an extraordinary animal, the +OTOZOUM.[C] The name which has been given to it is taken from that +of an ancient giant, Otus, who with his brother Ephialtes, according +to heathen mythology, made war with the gods. These fabled giants +were, at nine years of age, nine cubits in width and nine fathoms in +height. + + [Footnote C: The specific name of Moodii has been attached to the + Otozoum, from its having been discovered by Mr. Moody.] + +The foot is divided into four toes; the two outer of which seem to be +connected by a common basis. The inner toe has three phalanges; the +second toe, also three; the third and fourth toes, four each. The +first is the shortest, the second longer, the third longest, the +fourth shorter than the third. It will appear, then, that this track +differs from that of birds in the number of toes pointing forwards; +these being four, while in birds the forward toes are only three. +There is a difference also in the number and arrangement of the +articulations. + +The track in our possession is twenty inches long by thirteen and a +half inches broad. The rock in which it is imbedded is a dark-colored +sandstone. President Hitchcock has a slab showing a regular series of +tracks of this animal; the distance between the steps being about +three feet, and the tracks equidistant and alternate, which would not +be the case if the animal had been quadrupedal. In a quadruped, the +horse for example, the hind feet are set down near the fore feet, and +sometimes even strike them. Hence it must be inferred that the track +in question was that of a biped, or of a quadruped which did not use +its fore feet in progression, like a kangaroo. We naturally ask, What +kind of biped could this have been? Evidently not a man, the size of +the foot being too large to admit such a supposition; nor could it +have been a bird, the number of toes and their direction not admitting +this hypothesis. + +Tetradactylous birds, or those which have four toes, have only three +of them directed forwards, and the fourth backwards, generally. There +are, however, exceptions; some birds have four toes directed forwards: +this is the fact with the Hirundo Cypselus and the Pelicanus Aquilus +of Linnæus, or Man-of-war Bird. But the articulations are different in +the two animals, birds having regularly two, three, four, and five +phalanges, and the spur, where it exists, supported by a single +osseous phalanx; whereas the Otozoum has three phalanges in the inner +and second toe, four in the third and fourth toes. In this last +arrangement, the Otozoum is decidedly different from all known birds. +It is not likely to have been a tortoise or a lizard. The kangaroo has +four feet, and uses only two in progression, moving forward by leaps; +also, like the Otozoum, it has four toes; but the size of the toes +does not accord with that of the Otozoum, nor is the structure of the +foot the same, so far as we know. It has been suggested by Professor +Agassiz, that this animal might have been a two-footed frog. Nature +had, in those days, animal forms different from those we are +acquainted with; and this might have been the fact with the Otozoum. + + * * * * * + + GROUP SIXTH. + +We have in this group a specimen of the track of a four-footed animal, +which may have been a frog, though different from ours. The feet are +unequal in size, and present a different number of toes. In existing +frogs there are four toes in the fore feet, and five in the hind; but, +in the specimen before us, the front toes are five in number, and the +back toes three. It is called, therefore, ANOMOEPUS, _unequal-footed_. +These impressions are in the red shale of Hadley, and very distinct. +In some of them the lower leg is indicated, forming an impression six +or seven inches long. The feet being smaller than the legs, the +impression made by the latter is more expanded, superficial, and +broader, yet still very definite. The opinion of President Hitchcock +and Dr. Deane is, that the different impressions of five and three +toes are those of the anterior and posterior extremities of one animal, +which, from the size of the limbs, might be a frog three feet high. + +On the same schist with these footmarks, are other curious +impressions. The back of the slab is almost covered with the imprints +of rain-drops. In the midst of these is a tridactylous impression, +probably of a quadruped, crossed at its root by a single depression, +nearly an inch broad, and two and a half long: this seems to form part +of another broad superficial impression of about seven by four inches, +which is probably also quadrupedal. Other parts present the +impressions of nails and worm-tracks. At the opposite end is a deep, +smooth, regular excavation, which might have been made by a Medusa. + + * * * * * + + GROUP SEVENTH. + +The seventh group contains the impressions of the feet of Saurians or +lizards. We have a specimen of quadrupedal marks, with five toes to +each foot, about an inch long, which may have been made by these +animals. The impressions are small, but very distinct. There are +lizards of the present day with five toes, about the size of these +impressions; and these may, therefore, be set down as belonging to +this order of reptiles. Like a number of the last-named specimens, +they are in red shale. + + * * * * * + + GROUP EIGHTH. + +The eighth group is assigned by President Hitchcock to the Chelonian +or turtle tribe. The slab bearing impressions of Brontozoum +Gracillimum has a mark about fourteen inches long and two wide, which +may be attributed to the plastron or breast-plate of the tortoise. On +the slab from Turner's Falls there is a longitudinal furrow, which +might have been made by the tail of a turtle; and in various of our +slabs are impressions which we think belong to this tribe. We shall +have occasion to notice hereafter remarkable tracks of these animals +in the old red of Morayshire, in Scotland. + +The most distinct of the traces of chelonians are on the large slab +lately obtained for me by President Hitchcock from Greenfield. (_Vide_ +Plate.) This interesting slab contains the traces of quadrupeds, +various birds, and two trails of chelonians: the largest of these is +nearly five feet long, and four inches in diameter. The trail is +composed of a number of parallel elevations, comparatively +superficial. + + * * * * * + + GROUP NINTH. + +Of the ninth group, containing the marks of Annelidæ, Crustacea, and +Zoophytes, we have various specimens. + +The impressions of insects do not seem as yet to have been +distinguished on the ancient rocks. There is reason to believe, +however, that many of the marks we discover in the rocky beds might +have been made by the feet and bodies of large insects; and small +species of the same tribes have been found imbedded in, and actually +constituting, immense masses of calcareous and siliceous rocks. + +The tracks of worms are numerous. No doubt these worms drew together a +concourse of birds to the shores on which they rolled. On various +slabs we find long cylindrical furrows, about the eighth of an inch in +diameter, and of different lengths; one of them, in the slab from Dr. +Deane, being eight or nine inches long. To these impressions the name +of HERPYSTEZOUM, from _herpystês_, _crawling_, has been given. They +vary, however, and some of them are very likely to be the tracks of +the common earth-worm, or of some species of worm which existed when +these rocks were formed. These impressions vary in length and in +diameter; some of them are moderately regular, and others irregularly +curved. + +Very interesting tracks have been found in the ancient Potsdam white +sandstone of Beauharnais, on the St. Lawrence, by Mr. Logan, an +excellent geologist of Canada, and determined by Professor Owen to +belong to Crustacea, crabs. The number of impressions made by each +foot is sometimes seven, sometimes eight, and even more. This track, +showing the traces of Crustacea, goes to form another link in the +chain of fossil footsteps. + +The Medusæ, commonly called jelly-fish, dissolving as they do under +the influence of the sun and air, would hardly be expected to leave +their traces impressed on ancient rocks. Professor D'Orbigny, however, +has watched the dissolution of these animals on the sea-shore, and +found that, after wasting, they may leave their impressions on the +sand; which, not being disturbed by a high tide for nearly a month, +retains the impression of the zoophyte, and serves as a mould to +receive materials which take a cast and transmit it to subsequent +ages. We find one of these impressions on the slab of the Anomoepus +Scambus; and President Hitchcock, having examined it, is of opinion +that it retains the traces of a Medusa. The impression is about five +inches in diameter, of a darker color and smoother texture than the +rest of the rock. Its edges fade away gradually in the surface of the +subjacent sandstone. A similar impression is found on the superior +surface of the slab containing the Argozoum. + + * * * * * + + GROUP TENTH. + +The tenth group contains the HARPAGOPUS, a name derived from +_harpagê_, _seizure_, _rapine_. It is represented by President +Hitchcock as having the form of a drag. The figure given by him +resembles in a degree the foot of the African ostrich; being a long +thick toe, with a shorter one, not unlike a thumb, on the side. An +impression approximating this, but of small size, may be seen on the +slab of the Anomoepus Scambus. + + * * * * * + +The formation of bird-tracks is well represented by a clay specimen, +about an inch thick, and ten inches long. This is a piece of dried +clay, obtained by President Hitchcock from the banks of the +Connecticut, and produced by washings from clay on the shore above, +covered with foot-impressions of a small tridactylous bird, and dried +in the sun. This piece shows, in a way not to be questioned, the +manner in which the ancient vestiges were produced. Sir Charles Lyell +noticed a similar fact on the banks of the Bay of Fundy. + + + + + ORGANIC IMPRESSIONS. + + +The _second_ great division of fossil impressions is called ORGANIC, +meaning impressions made by organized bodies; the bones of animals, +fishes, and vegetables. + +Near one extremity of the slab of the Ornithopus Gallinaceus is an +elevation, about a foot long, and between one and two inches wide, +projecting from the surface nearly half an inch. It has the appearance +of a round bar of iron imbedded in the rock, which is clayey +sandstone. This apparent bar of iron was probably a bone, buried in +the stone, now silicified and impregnated with iron; the animal matter +having entirely disappeared. In the slab of the Brontozoum Sillimanium +is a projection about seven or eight inches long, and half an inch +wide; probably the bone of an animal, perhaps a clavicle of the +Brontozoum Giganteum. + +The vestiges of fishes are very numerous in the sandstone rocks of +Connecticut River. We have not less than two dozen specimens from this +locality; a number equal to all the other specimens in our collection. +These impressions of fishes are generally from three to six inches +long, and three or four inches wide. They are of the grand division +denominated by Professor Agassiz "heterocercal," having their tails +unequally bilobed, from the partial prolongation of the dorsal spine; +and they are considered to be of lower antiquity than the fishes which +are entirely heterocercal. The most remarkable of the fish-specimens +in our collection is a CEPHALASPIS (?): this fish is found in the +specimen containing tracks of the Brontozoum Gracillimum, and traces +of a turtle or tortoise. This fossil was discovered in the upper layer +of the old red sandstone of Scotland, and had been mistaken by some +for a trilobite: to us it appeared to be a Limulus, but further +observation leads us to believe it to be a _Cephalaspis_. It exhibits +a convex disc, four inches across, by two inches from above downwards, +and a tail at right angles with the disc, the uncovered part of which +is three inches long. The animal has been described by Professor +Agassiz as being composed of a strong buckler, with a pointed horn at +either termination of the crescent, and an angular tail. + +To the vegetable impressions discovered among the sandstone rocks a +peculiar name has not yet been assigned. When, however, we consider +the strong probability that many impressions of stalks, leaves, +fruits, and other parts of vegetables, may be hereafter discovered in +these rocks, it will be found convenient to have a distinctive +denomination. Vast numbers of vegetable impressions of a distinct and +beautiful appearance, and in great variety, have been found in the +coal-formation, which is nearly allied to the sandstone: such are the +Sigillaria, Stigmaria, Equisetaceæ, Lycopodiaceæ, Coniferæ, Cycadeæ, +&c. It is sufficient to say that the number of these has been already +swelled to many hundreds: we must also believe, that some of the +impressions in sandstone rocks which have been assigned to other +substances ought to be attributed to vegetables. We may, therefore, +venture to call the vegetable impressions "phytological." + +A number of our slabs bear impressions of vegetables; either twigs of +trees, or spires of plants. In a fragment broken from one of the toes +of the Brontozoum Giganteum, we see a cylindrical depression, three +inches long, and half an inch in diameter, marked by transverse lines, +about the sixth of an inch apart, and presenting an unquestionable +appearance of a fragment of a twig of an ancient vegetable, which had +been trodden under the foot of the mighty Brontozoum. On the reversed +surface of the same slab are found impressions, which were produced by +a number of fragments of sticks, five or six inches long, lying at +right angles, or nearly so. One of these sticks has been broken, and +its pieces are slightly displaced from each other. Various other +specimens contain the marks of sticks, or twigs of trees. The striæ, +so distinctly discernable in a number of these portions, having been +compared with twigs of the existing coniferæ (?), were found to +resemble them. Some of these sticks show the appearance of incipient +carbonization; yet the rock is sandstone, presenting, as already +mentioned, distinct appearances of quartz, and other substances of +which the arenaceous rocks are composed. + + + + + PHYSICAL IMPRESSIONS. + + +The _third_ great division of impressions in the sandstone rocks is +called PHYSICAL, meaning those made by inanimate and unorganized +substances; such are rain-drops, ripple-marks, and coprolites. + +1. Marks of rain-drops, described on page 20, appear to be quite +common. We have two or three specimens in relief, and as many in +depression. They occur as follows: 1st, on the upper surface of the +slab first described; 2d, on that of the Platypterna; 3d, on that of +the Æthyopus Lyellianus; 4th, on that of the Brontozoum Gracillimum; +5th, on that of the Æthyopus Minor; 6th, on that of the Anomoepus +Scambus; 7th, on the recent clay; also in one small hand-specimen, and +in a second containing two fishes. They show that, in those ancient +periods when the Brontozoum Giganteum and the Otozoum resided in these +parts, showers were frequent, and probably abundant for the supply of +the wants and the gratification of the appetites of these animals, +then common, but which now appear to us so extraordinary. + +2. Ripple-marks are seen in a number of these pieces; for example, on +the slab first described, on the Brontozoum Sillimanium slab, on the +Brontozoum Gracillimum slab, on one of the Triænopus, and on the upper +surface of the Greenfield slab. These marks are represented by +parallel curves, or straight lines, distant from each other from half +an inch to an inch, and presenting a slight degree of prominence. +There is another form of ripple-marks(?), differing from those above +described. These are of a circular and mammillary form: they are +strewed thickly, like little islets, approximating to each other. They +are seen distinctly on one of the slabs of the Brontozoum Sillimanium, +on that of the Æthyopus Lyellianus, and some others. Whether they are +to be considered as accumulations of sand and clay, formed by the +action of the sea, we are uncertain; but there seems to be no other +cause to which they can be assigned with so great probability. + +3. _Coprolites_, the fossilized ejections of animals, are intermixed +with other animal vestiges in the sandstone of Connecticut River, and +afford additional proof of the former existence of animals about these +rocks. + + * * * * * + +The latest accounts of fossil footprints we have had occasion to +notice are those of the Crustacea, already mentioned, as found in +Canada, and of the Chelonian in Scotland. The Canadian impressions, +called by Professor Owen Protichnites, were discovered in the year +1847, and were laid before the London Geological Society in 1851. The +most remarkable circumstance about them was their existence, as +already stated, in a white sandstone, near the banks of the River St. +Lawrence, at Beauharnais. This sandstone, which has been described by +New York geologists under the name of Potsdam, is thought to belong to +the Silurian system, and to have a higher antiquity than even the "old +red." + +The Scotch footsteps are situated in the old red sandstone, and are +those of a Chelonian. So that we have now two series of tracks, the +Crustacea in Canada and the Chelonian in Scotland, of higher antiquity +than any which had been previously discovered. + + * * * * * + +On a review of the labors of President Hitchcock, we are struck with +admiration at the immense details that, in the midst of arduous +official and literary duties, he has been able to go through with in +the period since the foot-tracks were discovered on Connecticut River. +Although his labors should be modified by succeeding observers, +Science must be ever grateful to him for laying the foundation, and +doing so much for the completion, of a work so great, novel, and +interesting. + +This inquiry seems to us to promise a rich variety; and we hope that +President Hitchcock and other observers will continue to explore and +cultivate it with undiminished zeal. + + + + + DESCRIPTION OF THE PLATE. + + +We are indebted to Photography for enabling us to represent the +remarkable slab from Greenfield, and its numerous objects, in a small +space, yet with perfect accuracy. This slab is four feet seven and +one-half inches in one direction, and four feet one inch transversely +to this; in thickness it measures about an inch. It is composed of +gray sandstone, in which the micaceous element is conspicuous, and +contains many interesting impressions on both surfaces. + +The most interesting surface is the inferior; and the objects are, of +course, presented in relief. They are, first, two Chelonian tracks; +second, four sets of bird-tracks; third, footsteps of an unknown +animal. The _Chelonian tracks_ are two in number: the longest measures +four feet ten inches; the shorter, two feet nine inches. Both of these +impressions are made apparently by the plastron of the turtle. They +are from four to eight inches in width, and composed of elevated +striæ. These striæ are formed by raised lines, pursuing a course +generally regular, but accompanied with some inflections: they are, as +the plate represents, very distinct. The shorter track appeared to me +to be crossed by another; but the photographic impression, though only +a few inches long, enabled me to ascertain that this appearance was +produced by bird-tracks above and below. + +The _bird-tracks_ are all tridactylous. The first set lies above and +to the right of the shorter turtle-track, and is composed of only two +steps, proceeding in the course of the plate downwards. The second set +of bird-tracks has five impressions, extending from the right superior +pointed angle of the slab across the small turtle-track to the larger, +in which it is lost. The third set of bird-tracks begins by an +impression larger than any other on the piece at the left extremity of +the longer turtle-track; and the remainder, three in number, +descending towards the right, are the least distinct of any. The +fourth set of bird-tracks begins below the longer turtle-track, and +ascends by four impressions, crossing the track till it meets the +first. + +The most curious track, consisting of six digitated impressions, still +remains. The first is seen on the left of the longer turtle-track, +near the largest bird-track; the second is on the track; the third is +above the track; the others cross the slab by fainter impressions. +Each of them is composed by two feet, and each foot contains four +toes, which are seen more distinctly in some impressions than in +others. The largest of these double tracks is about three inches in +diameter. Perhaps it would be useless to speculate upon what kind of +animal they were made by. There is a similarity between these and the +tracks of the Anomoepus Scambus, spoken of in the sixth group. In the +latter, however, the toes are five and three. Some experienced persons +think they are tracks of the mink, Mustela Lutreola, an animal common +at the present day in these parts. This has five toes; but it may be +in this as in some other digitigrades, that one of the toes in each +foot does not make an impression; or perhaps it is safer to believe, +till further investigation is made, that it was an animal of a +construction not now existing. + +The direction of these tracks presents a puzzle we are not able to +unravel; it exhibits the impressions of four toes, and we have +supposed it might possess five. In either of these cases, we have no +right to consider it a bird-track, but probably a reptile or a mammal. +Admitting this to be the fact, we are unable to account for the +direction of the steps, which is not alternate, as in the quadruped, +but in straight lines. In other words, this animal, supposed to have +four legs, gives us the impressions of two only, and both of these +placed together. + +When the tridactylous tracks are attentively considered, compared with +each other, and with the digitated tracks, they appear to exhibit the +character of the impressions of the feet of birds so very decidedly, +that it would require something more than a philosophic incredulity to +question their ornithic origin. + +The other side of this slab contains interesting impressions. In the +first place, this surface is covered with ripple-marks, each about two +inches broad, extending with various degrees of distinctness across +the slab, and having an interval of an inch. The width of the ridges +is greater than in any of the specimens we have seen. + +This surface is almost covered by rain-drops. It has also, among other +impressions, one which has been drawn by Mr. Silsbee, our +photographist, and represented by the figure below of its proper size. +This figure, nearly four and a half inches in length, is an exact +resemblance in form, but not in size, of the great Otozoum, as +depicted by President Hitchcock, and shown by the actual impression, +in our hands, of the great foot, twenty inches long, and of +proportionate breadth. The form of the heel, or posterior part of the +foot, is the same in the two figures; the toes are equal in both, viz. +four in number; the two internal toes correspond in their +articulations, and the two external are nearly alike, with a little +allowance for a different amount of adipose texture. Whether this was +the impression of an infant Otozoum, I pretend not to determine: the +drawing was taken by a gentleman who knew nothing of the Otozoum. +There are similar impressions, smaller than that last described, on +the same surface. + +The stone, though now very hard and intractable, having resisted all +the chemical agents we could employ, must have remained in a soft +state for some time; for the impressions of the foot shown below +penetrate to the opposite surface. + + [Illustration: Fossil foot impression] + +In this description we have not attempted to point out all the objects +worthy of interest on both sides of this curious slab. Every part +of it is full of interest, and presents a field for protracted +observations. The surface represented in the plate may, by the aid of +a magnifier, be studied without the presence of the stone itself; for +the photographic art displays the most minute objects without +alteration or omission. + + + + + * * * * * + + + Transcriber's Notes. + +With the exception of several presumed typographical error which have +been changed as noted below, the text presented is that shown in the +original printed version. The original text included Greek characters. +For this text version these letters have been replaced with +transliterations. Also, the 'AE' and 'ae' ligatures are included (for +examples, Æthyopus and striæ); but the 'oe' ligatures (for example, +Anomoepus) are shown as 'oe' for readability as the ligature character +is not present in many fonts. + +Typographical Errors: + + "Alleghanies" => "Alleghenies" (Pg. 18) + "Mastodon Giganteus." => "Mastodon Giganteus," (Pg. 25) + +Emphasis Notation: + + _text_ - italicized + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Remarks on some fossil impressions in +the sandstone rocks of Connecticut River, by John Collins Warren + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FOSSIL IMPRESSIONS--CONNECTICUT RIVER *** + +***** This file should be named 34056-8.txt or 34056-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/4/0/5/34056/ + +Produced by Tom Cosmas and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/34056-8.zip b/34056-8.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..fa2c654 --- /dev/null +++ b/34056-8.zip diff --git a/34056-h.zip b/34056-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b621c64 --- /dev/null +++ b/34056-h.zip diff --git a/34056-h/34056-h.htm b/34056-h/34056-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9eebb9d --- /dev/null +++ b/34056-h/34056-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,1945 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/loose.dtd"> +<html> +<head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1"> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Remarks On Some Fossil Impressions In The Sandstone Rocks Of Connecticut River, by John C. Warren, M.D. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + + p {text-indent: 2em; text-align: justify;} + h1,h2,h3,h4 {text-align: center; clear: both;} + hr {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; color: #000; clear: both; + margin-top: 1.75em; margin-bottom: 1.75em;} + table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} + .book {margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 10%;} + .greek {font-size:0.9em;} + .pagenum {position: absolute; left: 92%; font-size: 0.8em; + text-align: left; color: #808080;} + .center {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;} + .caption {font-weight: bold;} + .figcenter {margin: auto; text-align: center;} + .text_rt {text-align: right;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + .smaller {font-size:0.85em;} + .trans_notes {margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 5%; margin-top: 5%; margin-bottom: 5%; + padding: 2em; background-color: #f6f2f2; color: black; + border: solid black 1px;} + .footnotes {border: dashed 1px;} + .footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + .footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 88%; text-align: left;} + .fnanchor {vertical-align: super; font-size: .8em; text-decoration: none;} + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Remarks on some fossil impressions in the +sandstone rocks of Connecticut River, by John Collins Warren + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Remarks on some fossil impressions in the sandstone rocks of Connecticut River + +Author: John Collins Warren + +Release Date: October 11, 2010 [EBook #34056] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FOSSIL IMPRESSIONS--CONNECTICUT RIVER *** + + + + +Produced by Tom Cosmas and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<div class="trans_notes"> +<h3>Transcriber's Notes</h3> +<br> +<p>With the exception of several presumed typographical error which have been changed as noted below and the addition of a Table of Contents and label for the image of the rock slab, the text presented is that shown in the original printed version. The Greek charaters from which the scientific names were derived are diplayed slightly larger, green text. Lastly, the images of the slab available, even a higher resolution version, does not show the level of detail expressed in the text. Perhaps, at some point, a higher resolution scan of the original photographic film or plate may become available.</p> +<br> +<h3><a name="typos">Typographical Errors</a></h3> +<div class="center"> + <table width="60%" class="center" summary="Typos"> + <tr><td>Pg. 18</td><td>Alleghanies</td><td>=></td><td><a href="#Alleghenies">Alleghenies</a></td></tr> + <tr><td>Pg. 25</td><td>period following Mastodon Giganteus</td><td>=></td><td><a href="#comma">comma</a></td></tr> + </table> +</div> +</div> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<div class="book"> +<div class="center"> +<h2>Table of Contents</h2> +<table width="66%" summary="Table of Contents"> +<tr><td> </td><td class="text_rt">Page</td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#INTRO"><b>Introductory Remarks</b></a></td><td class="text_rt">3</td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#THE_EPYORNIS"><b>The Epyornis</b></a></td><td class="text_rt">5</td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#FOSSIL_IMPRESSIONS_I"><b>Fossil Impressions.—I.</b></a></td><td class="text_rt">10</td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#FOSSIL_IMPRESSIONS_II"><b>Fossil Impressions.—II.</b></a></td><td class="text_rt">22</td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#ORGANIC_IMPRESSIONS"><b>Organic Impressions.</b></a></td><td class="text_rt">41</td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#PHYSICAL_IMPRESSIONS"><b>Physical Impressions.</b></a></td><td class="text_rt">45</td></tr> +<tr><td><a href="#DESCRIPTION_OF_THE_PLATE"><b>Description Of The Plate.</b></a></td><td class="text_rt">49</td></tr> +</table> +</div> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<hr style="width: 35%;"> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_slab" id="Page_slab">[slab]</a></span> +<p> </p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 700px"> +<img src="images/slab_imp.png" width="700" height="650" alt="slab with fossil impressions"> +<br> +<span class="caption">Plate: Image of sandstone slab with fossil track and footprint impressions.</span> +</div> +<p> </p> + +<hr style="width: 35%;" > +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[1]</a></span></p> +<p> </p> +<h1>REMARKS</h1><br> +<h4>ON SOME</h4><br> +<h1>FOSSIL IMPRESSIONS</h1><br> +<h4>IN</h4><br> +<h3>THE SANDSTONE ROCKS OF CONNECTICUT RIVER.</h3><br> +<br> +<h3>BY</h3> +<h2>JOHN C. WARREN, M.D.</h2> +<h4>PRESIDENT OF THE BOSTON SOCIETY OF NATURAL HISTORY.</h4><br> +<br> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 172px"> + <img src="images/logo.png" width="172" height="216" alt="logo" > +</div><br> +<br> +<h2>BOSTON:</h2><br> +<h2>TICKNOR AND FIELDS,</h2><br> +<h4>135, Washington Street.</h4><br> +<h4>1854.</h4><br> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[2]</a></span></p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<div class="center"> + BOSTON:<br> + PRINTED BY JOHN WILSON AND SON,<br> + 22, School Street.<br> +</div> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<hr style="width: 35%;" > +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[3]</a></span></p> +<a name="INTRO"></a> +<p> </p> + +<p>The principal part of these remarks were made at the meetings +of the <span class="smcap">Boston Society of Natural History</span>. A portion of +them also have been printed in the Proceedings of the Society.</p> + +<p>The object of this publication is to afford to those who are not +members of the Society an opportunity of obtaining some knowledge +of Fossil Impressions, which they might not be able to +obtain elsewhere so conveniently.</p> + +<p>Some account of the Epyornis seems to be very properly connected +with Ornithichnites.</p> + +<p>The first of these papers was written in October, 1853; the +others in the earlier part of the present year.</p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[4]</a></span></p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span></p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 656px"> + <a name="THE_EPYORNIS" id="THE_EPYORNIS"></a> + <img src="images/epyornis.png" width="656" height="370" alt="The Epyornis" > +</div> + + +<hr style="width: 35%;" > + +<div class="center"> +<h2>THE EPYORNIS;</h2> + +OR,<br><br> + +GREAT BIRD OF MADAGASCAR, AND ITS EGGS.<br> +</div> + + +<p>In the course of the year 1851, an account was circulated +of the discovery of an immense egg, or eggs, in +the Island of Madagascar. The size of the eggs spoken +of was so disproportionate to that of any previously +known, that most persons received the account with +incredulity; and, I must confess, I was one of this +number. Being in Paris soon after hearing of this +report, I made inquiry on the subject, and was surprised +to learn, that the great egg was actually existing +in the Museum of Natural History in Paris. In +a few days I had an opportunity of seeing a cast of it +in the hands of the artist, M. Strahl, of whom I +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[6]</a></span> +solicited one. He informed me that it could not be +obtained at that moment; but that, if my request were +made known to the Administration of the Museum, he +had no doubt they would accede to it. I accordingly +did apply, and also presented them with the cast of a +perfect head of Mastodon Giganteus; and they very +liberally granted my request.</p> + +<p>The distinguished naturalist, Professor Geoffroy St. +Hilaire, the second of that honorable name, has made +a statement to the Academy of Sciences, which, though +only initiatory, contains many facts of a very interesting +nature, some of which I have had an opportunity +of verifying; and to him we are indebted for a greater +part of the others.</p> + +<p>The eggs sent to me are, in number, two; one of +which was purchased by M. Abadie, captain of a French +vessel, from the natives. Another was soon afterwards +found, equal in size. A third egg was discovered in +an alluvial stratum near a stream of water, together +with other valuable relics of the animal which had +probably produced them; but, unfortunately, it was +broken during transportation. Of the two eggs, one +is of an ovoid form, having much the shape of a hen's +egg; and the other is an ellipsoid.</p> + +<p>The ovoid egg is of enormous size, even when compared +with the largest egg we are acquainted with. Its +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span> +long diameter exceeds thirteen inches of our English +measure, its short diameter eight, and its long circumference +thirty-three inches. Its capacity is thought to +be equal to eighteen liquid pints, or to be six times +greater than that of the largest egg known to us (the +ostrich), although but twice its length. It is said to +be equal to a hundred and forty-eight hen eggs. The +ellipsoid egg has its longest diameter somewhat less +than that of the ovoid; its short diameter nearly +equals that of the other egg, being more than eight +inches. The third egg, although broken, has been +very useful to science, by displaying the thickness of +the shell, which is about one-tenth of an inch.</p> + +<p>The bones, of which I have received the casts, are +three in number, and of great interest. One of them +is a characteristic fragment of the upper part of a +fibula; the other two, still more interesting, as enabling +us to determine the class and genus of the animal to +which they belong, exhibit the extremities of the right +and left tarso-metatarsal bones. The former is somewhat +broken; the latter is nearly perfect, and exhibits +the triple division of the inferior extremity of the bone +into the three trochleæ or pulley-shaped processes of +the struthious birds. It might be mistaken for a bone +of the great Dinornis, but is distinguished from this +by the flatness of the portion above the trochleæ. Still +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a></span> +less is it one of the bones of the ostrich, its three +pulleys being separated from each other by distinct +intervals; whereas the pulleys of the ostrich have +only one such separation, constituting two distinct +eminences.</p> + +<p>M. Geoffroy St. Hilaire considered himself justified, +from these and other facts, in deciding this bone to +belong to a bird of a new genus, to which he gives +the name of <span class="smcap">Epyornis</span>, from <a name="aipys" class="greek"><i>αἰπύς</i></a>, <i>high</i>, <i>tall</i>, and <a name="ornis" class="greek"><i>ὄρνις</i></a>, +<i>bird</i>; and, as probably it is a specimen of the largest +animal of the family, he affixes the specific name of +<i>maximus</i>.</p> + +<p>The size of this bird, inferred from that of its egg, +would be vastly superior to that of the ostrich. But +if we notice the comparative size of the trochleated +extremity of the tarso-metatarsal bone, we shall see +that its height would be greatly exaggerated by adopting +such a basis for its establishment; in fact, it would +not probably exceed a height double that of the ostrich. +And, though it must have been superior to that of the +Dinornis maximus of Prof. Owen, it might perhaps +excel it only by the difference of two or three feet. A +bird of twelve or thirteen feet in height would, however, +if we stood in its presence, appear enormous, and +must have greatly astonished and terrified the natives +of Madagascar. Whether it now exists is uncertain, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span> +as it may possibly have a habitation in the wild recesses +of the island, which have never yet been visited by +any European traveller.</p> + +<p>The credit of most of the observations and discoveries +relating to this remarkable bird is attributable +to French naturalists;<a name="FNanchor_A" id="FNanchor_A"></a><a href="#Footnote_A" class="fnanchor">[A]</a> and it seems to be a duty +devolving on English and American navigators to +complete the history thus happily begun, and to tell +us whether the Epyornis still exists in the mountain-forests +of Madagascar, or at least present us with its +extraordinary relics.</p> +<p> </p> + + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="FOSSIL_IMPRESSIONS_I" id="FOSSIL_IMPRESSIONS_I"></a>FOSSIL IMPRESSIONS.—I.</h2> + +<p>Ichnology, a newly created branch of science, takes +its name from the Greek word <a name="ichnos" class="greek"><i>ἴχνος </i></a>, a <i>track</i> or <i>footstep</i>, +and the tracks themselves have been denominated Ichnites, +or, when they refer to birds only, Ornithichnites, +from <a name="ornis2" class="greek"><i>ὄρνις</i></a>, a <i>bird</i>. And this last term has by custom +been generally applied to ancient impressions, though +not correctly.</p> + +<p>Geology has revealed to us not only the remains of +animals and vegetables, but the impressions made by +them during their lives, and even the impressions of +unorganized bodies. The first notice of these appearances +was, as often happens, regarded with indifference +or scepticism; but their number and variety enlightened +the public mind, and opened a new source of +information and improvement.</p> + +<p>The first remarkable observation made on fossil +footsteps was that of the Rev. Dr. Duncan, of Scotland, +in 1828. He noticed, in a <i>new red sandstone</i> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span> +quarry in Dumfriesshire, impressions of the feet of +small animals of the tortoise kind, having four feet, +and five toes on each foot. They were seen in various +layers through a thickness of forty feet or more.</p> + +<p>Sandstone, in which these impressions are principally +discovered, is a rock composed chiefly of siliceous +and micaceous particles cemented together by calcareous +or argillaceous paste, containing salt, and colored +with various shades of the oxide of iron, particularly +the red, gray, brown. It has been remarked by Prof. +H. D. Rogers, that the perfection of the surface containing +fossil footmarks is often attributable to a +micaceous deposit. The layers of sandstone have been +formed by deposits from sea-water, dried in succession; +such layers are also seen in the roofing slate. These +deposits on the shores of the ocean, having in a soft +condition received the impressions of the feet of birds, +other animals, vegetables, and also of rain-drops, +under favorable circumstances dried, hardened, and +formed a rock of greater or less solidity. Our colleague, +Dr. Gould, has exhibited to us a specimen of +dried clay from the shores of the Bay of Fundy, +containing beautiful impressions, recently made, of +the footsteps of birds. The particles brought by the +waves, and deposited in the manner described, were +derived from the destruction of other rocks previously +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span> +existing, particularly granite and flint, or silex, the +shining atoms of which compose no small part of +the sandstone rock.</p> + +<p>It is easy to conceive, that, while these deposits were +taking place in the soft condition, portions of vegetable +matters might become intermixed; and that these, with +the impressions of the feet and other parts of animals +and unorganized substances, might be preserved by the +process of desiccation. The agency of internal heat +may have also been employed in some cases in baking +and hardening these crusty layers.</p> + +<p>The sandstone rock, though in some places actually +in a state of formation at the present time, lies in such +a manner in the earth's crust as to indicate an immense +antiquity. The age of these beds varies in +different situations. The sandstone rocks which contain +the greater part of the impressions are called <i>new +red sandstone</i>, to distinguish them from the <i>old red</i>, +which is of a greater age. The deposits on Connecticut +River may not be attributed to the action of this +river, but are of higher antiquity, probably, than the +river itself, and proceeded from the waves of an ancient +sea, existing in a state of the surface of the globe very +different from that of the present day.</p> + +<p>In 1834, tracks were discovered near Hildberghausen +in Saxony, to which Prof. Kaup, of Darmstadt, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span> +gave the name of Chirotherium, from the resemblance +to the impressions of the human hand. On a subsequent +examination, Prof. Owen preferred the name of +Labyrinthodon, from the resemblance of the folds in +the teeth to the convolutions of the brain.</p> + +<p>Various other instances of impressions were seen; +and, in the year 1835, Dr. Deane and Mr. Marsh, residents +of Greenfield, noticed impressions resembling +the feet of birds in sandstone rocks of that neighborhood. +These observations having come to the knowledge +of President Hitchcock, of Amherst College, +that gentleman began a thorough investigation of the +subject, followed it up with unremitted ardor, and +has, since 1836 (the date of his first publication), laid +before the public a great amount of ichnological information, +and really created a new science. Dr. Deane, +on his part, has not been idle: besides making valuable +discoveries, he has written a number of excellent +papers to record some portion of his numerous +observations.</p> + +<p>In 1837, at the request of my friend Dr. Boott, I +carried to London, for the Museum of the Royal +College of Surgeons, various scientific objects peculiar +to this country; among which were a number of casts +of Ornithichnites.</p> + +<p>These casts were kindly furnished me by President +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span> +Hitchcock, and the Government of the Royal College +thereon voted to present to President Hitchcock and +Amherst College casts of the skeleton of the famous +Megatherium of South America. These casts were +packed, and sent to be embarked in a ship destined for +Boston, but were unluckily delivered to a wrong shipping +house in London, and I lost sight of them for +some time. They were at length discovered. After +remaining in this situation for more than a year, they +were sold at public auction; and, notwithstanding +many efforts on my part, I was unable to obtain and +transmit them to Amherst College.</p> + +<p>The fossil impressions which have been distinguished +in various places in the new red sandstone are those of +birds, frogs, turtles, lizards, fishes, mollusca, crustacea, +worms, and zoophytes. Besides these, the impressions +made by rain-drops, ripple-marks in the sand, +coprolites or indurated remains of fæces of animals, +and even impressions of vegetables, have been preserved +and transmitted from a remote antiquity. No +authentic human impressions have yet been established; +and none of the mammalia, except the +marsupials.(?) We must, however, remember that, +although the early paleontology contains no record of +birds, the ancient existence of these animals is now +fully ascertained. Remains of birds were discovered +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span> +in the Paris gypsum by Cuvier previous to 1830. +Since that time, they have been found in the Lower +Eocene in England, and the Swiss Alps; and there is +reason to believe that osseous relics may be met with +in the same deposits which contain the foot-marks. +Most of the bird-tracks which have been observed, +belong to the wading birds, or Grallæ.</p> + +<p>The number of toes in existing birds varies from +two to five. In the fossil bird-tracks, the most +frequent number is three, called tridactylous; but +there are instances also of four or tetradactylous, and +two or didactylous. The number of articulations +corresponds in ornithichnites with living birds: when +there are four toes, the inner or hind toe has two articulations, +the second toe three, the third toe four, the +outer toe five. The impressions of the articulations +are sometimes very distinct, and even that of the skin +covering them.</p> + +<p>President Hitchcock has distinguished more than +thirty species of birds, four of lizards, three of tortoises, +and six of batrachians.</p> + +<p>The great difference in the characters of many fossil +animals from those of existing genera and species, in +the opinion of Prof. Agassiz, makes it probable that +in various instances the traces of supposed birds may +be in fact traces of other animals, as, for example, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span> +those of the lizard or frog. And he supports this +opinion, among other reasons, by the disappearance of +the heel in a great number of Ornithichnites.</p> + +<p>D'Orbigny, to whom we are indebted for the most +ample and systematic work on Paleontology ("Cours +Elémentaire de Paléontologie et de Géologie," 5 vols. +1849-52), does not accept the arrangement of President +Hitchcock. He objects to the term Ornithichnites, +and proposes what he considers a more comprehensive +arrangement into organic, physiological, and +physical impressions. <i>Organic impressions</i> are those +which have been produced by the remains of organized +substances, such as vegetable impressions from +calamites, &c. <i>Physiological impressions</i> are those +produced by the feet and other parts of animals. +<i>Physical impressions</i> are those from rain-drops and +ripple-marks; and to these may be added coprolites in +substance. This plan of D'Orbigny seems to exclude +the curious and interesting distinctions of groups, +genera, and species; in this way diminishing the +importance of the science of Ichnology.</p> + +<p>Fossil impressions have been found on this continent +in the carboniferous strata of Nova Scotia, and +of the <a name="Alleghenies"></a><a href="#typos">Alleghenies</a>; in the sandstone of New Jersey, +and in that of the Connecticut Valley in a great +number of places, from the town of Gill in Massachusetts +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span> +to Middletown in Connecticut, a distance of +about eighty miles.</p> + +<p>A slab from Turner's Falls, obtained for me by Dr. +Deane in 1845, measuring two feet by two and a half, +and two inches in thickness, contains at least ten +different sets of impressions, varying from five inches +in length to two and a half, with a proportionate +length of stride from thirteen inches to six. All these +are tridactylous, and represent at least four different +species. In most of them the distinction of articulation +is quite clear. The articulations of each toe can +readily be counted, and they are found to agree with +the general statement made above as to number. The +impressions are singularly varied as to depth; some of +them, perfectly distinct, are superficial, like those +made by the fingers laid lightly on a mass of dough, +while others are of sufficient depth nearly to bury the +toes; some of the tracks cross each other, and, being +of different sizes, belong to animals of different ages +or different species. There is one curious instance of +the tracks of a large and heavy bird, in which, from +the softness of the mud, the bird slipped in a lateral +direction, and then gained a firm footing; the mark of +the first step, though deep, is ill-defined and uncertain; +the space intervening between the tracks is superficially +furrowed; in the settled step, which is the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span> +deepest, the toes are very strongly indicated. On the +same surface are impressions of nails, which may have +belonged to birds or chelonians.</p> + +<p>The inferior surface of the same slab exhibits +appearances more superficial, less numerous, but +generally regular. There are three sets of tracks +entirely distinct from each other; two of them containing +three tracks, and one containing two,—the +latter being much the largest in size. In addition, +there is one set of tracks, which are probably those of +a tortoise. These marks present two other points +quite observable and interesting. One is that they are +displayed in relief, while those on the upper surface +are in depression. The relief in this lower surface +would be the cast of a cavity in the layer below; +so the depressions in the upper surface would be +moulds of casts above. The second point is the non-correspondence +of the upper and lower surfaces; i.e. +the depressions in the upper surface have not a general +correspondence with the elevations on its inferior surface. +The tracks above were made by different individuals +and different species from those below. This +leads to another interesting consideration, that in the +thickness of this slab there must be a number of +different layers, and in each of them there may be +a different series of tracks. +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span></p> + +<p>To these last remarks there is one exception: the +deep impression in which the bird slipped in a lateral +direction corresponds with an elevation on the lower +surface, in which the impression of these toes is very +distinctly displayed, and even the articulations. +Moreover, one of the tracks on the inferior surface +interferes with the outer track in the superior, and +tends in an opposite direction, so that this last-described +footstep must have been made before the +other. It is also observable, that, while all the other +tracks are superficial, this last penetrates the whole +thickness of the slab; thus showing that the different +deposits continued some time in a soft state.</p> + +<p>On the surfaces of this slab, particularly on the +upper, there are various marks besides those of the +feet, some of which seem to have been made by straws, +or portions of grass, or sticks; and there is a curved +line some inches in length, which seems to have arisen +from shrinkage.</p> + +<p>In the collection of Mr. Marsh,<a name="FNanchor_B" id="FNanchor_B"></a><a href="#Footnote_B" class="fnanchor">[B]</a> there were two +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span> +slabs of great size, each measuring ten by six feet, +having a great number of impressions of feet, and +about the same thickness as the slab under examination. +One of these presented depressions; and the +other, corresponding reliefs. These very interesting +relations were necessarily parted in the sale of Mr. +Marsh's collection; one of them being obtained for +the Boston Society of Natural History, and the other +for the collection of Amherst College.</p> + +<p>The <i>Physical Impressions</i>, according to Professor +D'Orbigny, are of three kinds, viz.: 1st, Rain-drops; +2d, Ripple-marks; and 3d, Coprolites. I have a slab +which exhibits two leptodactylous tracks very distinct, +about an inch and a half long, surrounded by impressions +of rain-drops and ripple-marks. Another specimen +exhibits the impressions of rain in a more distinct +and remarkable manner. The imprints are of various +sizes, from those which might be made by a common +pea to others four times its diameter; some are deep, +others superficial and almost imperceptible. They are +generally circular, but some are ovoid. Some have the +edge equally raised around, as if struck by a perpendicular +drop; and others have the edge on one part +faintly developed, while another part is very sharp and +well defined, as if the drop had struck obliquely. It +has been suggested, that these fossil rain-drops may +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span> +have been made by particles of hail; but I think the +variety of size and depth of depression would have +been more considerable if thus made.</p> + +<p>Although we have necessarily treated the subject of +fossil footmarks in a very brief way, sufficient has +been said to show that this new branch of Paleontology +may lead to interesting results. The fact that +they are, in some manner, peculiar to this region, +seems to call upon our Society to obtain a sufficient +number of specimens to exhibit to scientific men a +fair representation of the condition of Ichnology in +this quarter of our country; and we have therefore +great reason to congratulate ourselves, that, through +the vigilance and spirit of our members, the Society +has the expectation of obtaining a rich collection +of ichnological specimens.</p> +<p> </p> + +<a name="FOSSIL_IMPRESSIONS_II" id="FOSSIL_IMPRESSIONS_II"></a> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span></p> +<h2>FOSSIL IMPRESSIONS.—II.</h2> + +<p>Since writing the preceding article, I have been able +to obtain, through the kindness of President Hitchcock, +a number of additional specimens of fossil +impressions. By the aid of these, I may hope to give +an idea of the system of impressions, so far as it has +been discovered, without, however, attempting to enter +into minute details. For these, I would refer to the +account of the "Geology of Massachusetts," by President +Hitchcock; to his valuable article published in +the "Memoirs of the American Academy;" and to his +geological works generally.</p> + +<p>The numerous tracks which have been assembled +together in the neighborhood of Connecticut River +have afforded an opportunity of prosecuting these +studies to an extent unusual in the primitive rocky +soil of New England. These appearances are not, +indeed, wholly new. Such traces had been previously +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span> +met with in other countries; but, in their number and +variety, the valley of the Connecticut abounds above +all places hitherto investigated.</p> + +<p>Twenty years have elapsed since the study of Ichnology +has been prosecuted in this country; and, in this +period of time, about forty-nine species of animal +tracks have been distinguished in the locality mentioned, +according to President Hitchcock; which have +been regularly arranged by him in groups, genera, and +species.</p> + +<p>I propose now to lay the specimens, recently +obtained, before the Society, as a slight preparation +for the more numerous and more valuable articles +which they are soon to receive.</p> + +<p>The traces found on ancient rocks, as has been +shown in the previous article, are those of animals, +vegetables, and unorganized substances. The traces +of animals are produced by quadrupeds, birds, lizards, +turtles, frogs, mollusca, worms, crustacea, and zoophytes. +These impressions are of various forms: +some of them simple excavations; some lines, either +straight or curved, and others complicated into various +figures.</p> + +<p>President Hitchcock has based his distinctions of +fossil animal impressions on the following characters, +viz.:—</p> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span></p> +<div class="smaller"> +<ol> +<li>Toes thick, pachydactylous; or thin, leptodactylous.<br> +<li>Feet winged.<br> +<li>Number of toes from two to five, inclusive.<br> +<li>Absolute and relative length of the toes.<br> +<li>Divarication of the lateral toes.<br> +<li>Angle made by the inner and middle, outer and middle toes.<br> +<li>Projection of the middle beyond the lateral toes.<br> +<li>Distance between tips of lateral toes.<br> +<li>Distance between tips of middle and inner and outer toes.<br> +<li>Position and direction of hind toe.<br> +<li>Character of claw.<br> +<li>Width of toes.<br> +<li>Number and length of phalangeal expansions.<br> +<li>Character of the heel.<br> +<li>Irregularities of under side of foot.<br> +<li>Versed sine of curvature of toes.<br> +<li>Angle of axis of foot with line of direction.<br> +<li>Distance of posterior part of the foot from line of direction.<br> +<li>Length of step.<br> +<li>Size of foot.<br> +<li>Character of the integuments of the foot.<br> +<li>Coprolites.<br> +<li>Means of distinguishing bipedal from quadrupedal tracks.<br> +</ol> +</div> + +<p>By these characters, President Hitchcock has distinguished +physiological tracks, or those made by +animated beings, into ten groups provisionally. To +these may be added, "organic impressions," made +by organized bodies; and the impressions made by +inanimate bodies, called "physical impressions."</p> + +<p>The specimens under our hands enable us to give +some notion of the distinctions which characterize the +greater part of these groups.</p> +<p> </p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span></p> + +<div class="center"> +<h3>GROUP FIRST—STRUTHIONES.</h3> +</div> + +<p>The ostrich-tracks present a numerous natural +and most remarkable group; remarkable from the +great size of some species,—all of them tridactylous +and pachydactylous. The ostrich of the Old World +has only two toes, but this family exists in South +America at the present time under the name of Rhea +Americana; and tracks of an animal, probably of the +same family, are found in the numerous impressions +near Connecticut River,—all of them having three +toes in front, and the rudiment of a fourth behind.</p> + +<p>This group contains a number of genera. The +<span class="smcap">First Genus</span>, denominated <i>Brontozoum</i>, presents the +tracks of a most extraordinary bird. These tracks +appear less questionable since the discovery in Madagascar +of the eggs of the Epyornis.</p> + +<p>The tracks of the largest species, the <span class="smcap">Brontozoum +Giganteum</span>, are four times the magnitude of those +made by the existing ostrich of Africa. They are +very numerous, and congregated together. The foot +of the Brontozoum Giganteum, including the inferior +extremity of the tarso-metatarsal bone, which makes +a part of the foot, measures in our specimen twenty +inches; in the <a name="comma"></a><a href="#typos">Mastodon Giganteus,</a> the foot measures +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span> +twenty-seven inches; the width also is less, being +ten inches across the metacarpals, while that of the +Mastodon is twenty-two: but the one is a bird, the +other a quadruped. The toes are three in number, +and present the same divisions with existing birds; +the inner toe having three, the middle four, the outer +five phalanges. Some of the articulations of the toes +of this noble specimen are remarkable for the manner +in which they illustrate the mode of formation of the +tracks. These phalanges have become separated from +the solid rock in which they were encased, so as to be +removable at pleasure; and they thus show that the +whole foot is not a simple impression in the rock +which contains it, but a depression filled by foreign +materials, i.e. by sand, clay, and other relics of +pre-existing rocks. These materials had been gradually +deposited in the mould formed by the bird's foot, and +are therefore independent of this rock, in the same +way as the plaster-of-Paris cast of a tooth, or any +other body, is independent of the mould to which it +owes its form. The impressions are in gray sandstone.</p> + +<p>On the reversed surface of the slab is seen a small +piece of broken quartz, about half an inch square. +This piece forms a beautiful illustration of a part +of the process by which the sandstone rocks are +formed.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span> +The second species of the same genus is the <span class="smcap">Brontozoum +Sillimanium</span>. Of this we have three specimens; +the tracks have the same general character +with the preceding, but are smaller.</p> + +<p>The third species of this genus is styled the <span class="smcap">Brontozoum +Loxonyx</span>, from <a name="loxos" class="greek"><i>λοξὸς</i></a>, a <i>bow</i>, and <a name="onyx" class="greek"><i>ὄνυξ</i></a>, a <i>nail</i>,—a +curved nail. It is smaller than the Sillimanium, +and has the nail set to one side.</p> + +<p>The fourth species, still smaller, is the <span class="smcap">Brontozoum +Gracillimum</span>. On this slab the impressions are in +relief; viz.: 1st, of Brontozoum Gracillimum; 2d, of +Brontozoum Parallelum; 3d, of the track of a tortoise, +fourteen inches long, and two wide. Other extensive +eminences and depressions, with rain-drops, +may be observed on the same surface.</p> + +<p>The fifth species is called <span class="smcap">Brontozoum Parallelum</span>, +from the tracks being on a line with each other. Of +this there are two specimens, one of them, however, +being a single track. On the surface of the other +slab there are at least five distinct tracks, one of them +being a small new and undescribed species,—thus +making the whole number of species of Brontozoum +which we possess to be at least six.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span> +The <span class="smcap">Second Genus</span> of Struthiones is called <i>Æthyopus</i>, +from <a name="aithuia" class="greek"><i>αἴθυια</i></a>, a <i>gull</i>, and <a name="pous" class="greek"><i>ποὺς</i></a>, a <i>foot</i>,—gull-footed. +This genus is smaller than the Brontozoum Giganteum; +and we have two species, viz. the <span class="smcap">Æthyopus +Lyellianus</span>, which is the larger, and two specimens +of <span class="smcap">Æthyopus Minor</span>. All of these are distinguished +from the preceding genus by the winged foot, and in +the Lyellianus by the shallowness of the impression. +The Æthyopus Minor is not always distinguished by +the superficiality of its impression. This is sometimes +deep. Therefore this character may not be considered +a distinctive one, or the Æthyopus Minor might be +referred to another genus. Of the two specimens of +this latter species, the first is in depression, tridactylous. +The depressions are deep with rain-drops, +marks of quadrupeds and zoophytes over the whole +surface. The ornithichnic impressions are two in +number; one superficial, the other very deep. The +reversed surface of this slab contains one tridactylous +impression in relief. The second specimen has three +depressions; two of which are superficial, and the +third is quite deep, displaying, by a depressed surface, +the webbed character of the foot.</p> + +<hr style="width:25%;"> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span></p> +<h3>GROUP SECOND.</h3> + +<p>We shall take, to characterize this group, the +<i>Argozoum</i>, from <a name="arges" class="greek"><i>ἀργὴς</i></a>, <i>swift</i>, <i>winged</i>.</p> + +<p>Of this genus there are two species, the larger of +which is the <span class="smcap">Argozoum Disparidigitatum</span>. It is +leptodactylous, and remarkable for the length of the +middle toe. We have another species, which is +smaller than the last named, and in which the toes +are nearly of equal length; hence called <span class="smcap">Argozoum +Paridigitatum</span>.</p> + +<p>The other genus of this group is the <span class="smcap">Platypterna</span>, +and our specimen is named <i>Deaniana</i>. This genus is +remarkable for the width of the heel; hence the +name, from <a name="platys" class="greek"><i>πλατὺς</i></a>, <i>broad</i>, and <a name="pterna" class="greek"><i>πτέρνη</i></a>, <i>a heel</i>. It has three +toes like the other genera of this group.</p> + +<hr style="width:25%;"> + +<h3>GROUP THIRD.</h3> + +<p>This and the succeeding group are tetradactylous; +having one toe behind, three forwards.</p> + +<p>The third group is leptodactylous; foot usually +small, but sometimes of medium size. Of it we have +two specimens, viz.: <span class="smcap">Ornithopus Gallinaceus</span>, and +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span> +<span class="smcap">Ornithopus Gracilis</span>. The former is so called from +the resemblance to the domestic fowl: for convenience +sake, in this and other instances, we use the whole for +a part. It is about three inches in length, and the +Ornithopus Gracilis about two.</p> + +<p>This latter specimen is particularly interesting. It +consists of two parts, which open like the covers of a +book. These covers present four impressions: first, +the superficial, which is distinct, slender, and beautiful—the +heel is broad; second, corresponding with +this depression and on the inside, is a figure in relief +as distinct as the depression; third, on the inside of +the second cover is a depression corresponding with +the relief last mentioned; fourth, on the outer side is +a second relief corresponding with the second depression, +but less distinct than either of the other three, +still, however, exhibiting three toes pointing anteriorly, +but the hind toe is wanting. The whole of this +double slab forms a series of cameos and intaglios, +measuring four inches by three, and in thickness an +inch and a quarter.</p> + +<hr style="width:25%;"> + +<h3>GROUP FOURTH.</h3> + +<p>Of the fourth group we have five specimens. The +<i>Triænopus</i>, so called from its resemblance to a trident, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span> +has besides three leptodactylous toes pointing forwards, +a fourth extending backwards in a remarkable +way, like the handle of a trident; the impression, +however, being expanded so as to show an extensive +displacement of the mud. All the specimens of +Triænopus are in a beautiful red shale, very thin and +fragile, but presenting well-defined impressions, generally +about three inches long.</p> + +<p>There are two species to this genus. Of the +<span class="smcap">Triænopus Emmonsianus</span> we notice three impressions +in relief. In another specimen there is the appearance +of a part of the toes of the Anomœpus Scambus, and +on the upper side are seen two excavations corresponding +with the three impressions. In the last slab, the +track of the <span class="smcap">Triænopus Baileyanus</span> appears to have +been made by two feet placed successively in the same +spot, which led President Hitchcock to suspect it +might have been made by a quadruped. One of the +specimens has the Triænopus tracks intermixed in a +peculiar way with other impressions.</p> + +<p>The specimen representing the genus <span class="smcap">Harpedactylus</span> +is larger than the preceding; and, though +leptodactylous, the toes are much broader and also +more curved, whence the name Harpedactylus, <i>sickle-finger</i>, +from <a name="harpe" class="greek"><i>ἅρπη</i></a> and <a name="daktylos" class="greek"><i>δάκτυλος</i></a>.</p> + +<hr style="width:25%;"> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span></p> +<h3>GROUP FIFTH.</h3> + +<p>The fifth group differs much from the four previous +ones. In this and the following groups we pass from +the vestiges of birds to those of other animals, some +of which are bipeds, some quadrupeds. Many impressions +are without any distinct character, belonging +probably to the lower animals, to vegetables, and +unorganized bodies.</p> + +<p>The fifth group comprehends the tracks of an extraordinary +animal, the <span class="smcap">Otozoum</span>.<a name="FNanchor_C" id="FNanchor_C"></a><a href="#Footnote_C" class="fnanchor">[C]</a> The name which +has been given to it is taken from that of an ancient +giant, Otus, who with his brother Ephialtes, according +to heathen mythology, made war with the gods. +These fabled giants were, at nine years of age, nine +cubits in width and nine fathoms in height.</p> + +<p>The foot is divided into four toes; the two outer of +which seem to be connected by a common basis. The +inner toe has three phalanges; the second toe, also +three; the third and fourth toes, four each. The first is +the shortest, the second longer, the third longest, the +fourth shorter than the third. It will appear, then, +that this track differs from that of birds in the number +of toes pointing forwards; these being four, while +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span> +in birds the forward toes are only three. There is a +difference also in the number and arrangement of the +articulations.</p> + +<p>The track in our possession is twenty inches long +by thirteen and a half inches broad. The rock in +which it is imbedded is a dark-colored sandstone. +President Hitchcock has a slab showing a regular +series of tracks of this animal; the distance between +the steps being about three feet, and the tracks equidistant +and alternate, which would not be the case +if the animal had been quadrupedal. In a quadruped, +the horse for example, the hind feet are set down near +the fore feet, and sometimes even strike them. Hence +it must be inferred that the track in question was +that of a biped, or of a quadruped which did not use +its fore feet in progression, like a kangaroo. We +naturally ask, What kind of biped could this have +been? Evidently not a man, the size of the foot being +too large to admit such a supposition; nor could it +have been a bird, the number of toes and their direction +not admitting this hypothesis.</p> + +<p>Tetradactylous birds, or those which have four +toes, have only three of them directed forwards, and +the fourth backwards, generally. There are, however, +exceptions; some birds have four toes directed forwards: +this is the fact with the Hirundo Cypselus +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span> +and the Pelicanus Aquilus of Linnæus, or Man-of-war +Bird. But the articulations are different in the two +animals, birds having regularly two, three, four, and +five phalanges, and the spur, where it exists, supported +by a single osseous phalanx; whereas the Otozoum has +three phalanges in the inner and second toe, four in +the third and fourth toes. In this last arrangement, +the Otozoum is decidedly different from all known +birds. It is not likely to have been a tortoise or +a lizard. The kangaroo has four feet, and uses +only two in progression, moving forward by leaps; +also, like the Otozoum, it has four toes; but the +size of the toes does not accord with that of the +Otozoum, nor is the structure of the foot the same, +so far as we know. It has been suggested by +Professor Agassiz, that this animal might have been +a two-footed frog. Nature had, in those days, animal +forms different from those we are acquainted with; +and this might have been the fact with the Otozoum.</p> + +<hr style="width:25%;"> + +<h3>GROUP SIXTH.</h3> + +<p>We have in this group a specimen of the track of a +four-footed animal, which may have been a frog, though +different from ours. The feet are unequal in size, and +present a different number of toes. In existing frogs +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span> +there are four toes in the fore feet, and five in the +hind; but, in the specimen before us, the front toes are +five in number, and the back toes three. It is called, +therefore, <span class="smcap">Anomœpus</span>, <i>unequal-footed</i>. These impressions +are in the red shale of Hadley, and very distinct. +In some of them the lower leg is indicated, forming +an impression six or seven inches long. The feet being +smaller than the legs, the impression made by the +latter is more expanded, superficial, and broader, yet +still very definite. The opinion of President Hitchcock +and Dr. Deane is, that the different impressions +of five and three toes are those of the anterior and +posterior extremities of one animal, which, from the +size of the limbs, might be a frog three feet high.</p> + +<p>On the same schist with these footmarks, are other +curious impressions. The back of the slab is almost +covered with the imprints of rain-drops. In the midst +of these is a tridactylous impression, probably of a +quadruped, crossed at its root by a single depression, +nearly an inch broad, and two and a half long: this +seems to form part of another broad superficial impression +of about seven by four inches, which is +probably also quadrupedal. Other parts present the +impressions of nails and worm-tracks. At the opposite +end is a deep, smooth, regular excavation, which +might have been made by a Medusa.</p> + +<hr style="width:25%;"> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span></p> +<h3>GROUP SEVENTH.</h3> + +<p>The seventh group contains the impressions of the +feet of Saurians or lizards. We have a specimen of +quadrupedal marks, with five toes to each foot, about +an inch long, which may have been made by these +animals. The impressions are small, but very distinct. +There are lizards of the present day with five toes, +about the size of these impressions; and these may, +therefore, be set down as belonging to this order of +reptiles. Like a number of the last-named specimens, +they are in red shale.</p> + +<hr style="width:25%;"> + +<h3>GROUP EIGHTH.</h3> + +<p>The eighth group is assigned by President Hitchcock +to the Chelonian or turtle tribe. The slab bearing +impressions of Brontozoum Gracillimum has a +mark about fourteen inches long and two wide, which +may be attributed to the plastron or breast-plate of the +tortoise. On the slab from Turner's Falls there is a +longitudinal furrow, which might have been made by +the tail of a turtle; and in various of our slabs are +impressions which we think belong to this tribe. We +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span> +shall have occasion to notice hereafter remarkable +tracks of these animals in the old red of Morayshire, +in Scotland.</p> + +<p>The most distinct of the traces of chelonians are +on the large slab lately obtained for me by President +Hitchcock from Greenfield. (<a href="#Page_slab"><i>Vide</i> Plate.</a>) This interesting +slab contains the traces of quadrupeds, +various birds, and two trails of chelonians: the largest +of these is nearly five feet long, and four inches in +diameter. The trail is composed of a number of +parallel elevations, comparatively superficial.</p> + +<hr style="width:25%;"> + +<h3>GROUP NINTH.</h3> + +<p>Of the ninth group, containing the marks of Annelidæ, +Crustacea, and Zoophytes, we have various +specimens.</p> + +<p>The impressions of insects do not seem as yet to +have been distinguished on the ancient rocks. There +is reason to believe, however, that many of the marks +we discover in the rocky beds might have been made +by the feet and bodies of large insects; and small +species of the same tribes have been found imbedded +in, and actually constituting, immense masses of calcareous +and siliceous rocks.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span> +The tracks of worms are numerous. No doubt +these worms drew together a concourse of birds to the +shores on which they rolled. On various slabs we +find long cylindrical furrows, about the eighth of an +inch in diameter, and of different lengths; one of +them, in the slab from Dr. Deane, being eight or nine +inches long. To these impressions the name of <span class="smcap">Herpystezoum</span>, +from <a name="herpystes" class="greek"><i>ἑρπυστὴς</i></a>, <i>crawling</i>, has been given. +They vary, however, and some of them are very likely +to be the tracks of the common earth-worm, or of +some species of worm which existed when these rocks +were formed. These impressions vary in length and +in diameter; some of them are moderately regular, +and others irregularly curved.</p> + +<p>Very interesting tracks have been found in the +ancient Potsdam white sandstone of Beauharnais, on +the St. Lawrence, by Mr. Logan, an excellent geologist +of Canada, and determined by Professor Owen to +belong to Crustacea, crabs. The number of impressions +made by each foot is sometimes seven, sometimes +eight, and even more. This track, showing the traces +of Crustacea, goes to form another link in the chain of +fossil footsteps.</p> + +<p>The Medusæ, commonly called jelly-fish, dissolving +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span> +as they do under the influence of the sun and air, +would hardly be expected to leave their traces impressed +on ancient rocks. Professor D'Orbigny, however, +has watched the dissolution of these animals on +the sea-shore, and found that, after wasting, they may +leave their impressions on the sand; which, not being +disturbed by a high tide for nearly a month, retains +the impression of the zoophyte, and serves as a mould +to receive materials which take a cast and transmit it +to subsequent ages. We find one of these impressions +on the slab of the Anomœpus Scambus; and President +Hitchcock, having examined it, is of opinion that it +retains the traces of a Medusa. The impression is +about five inches in diameter, of a darker color and +smoother texture than the rest of the rock. Its edges +fade away gradually in the surface of the subjacent +sandstone. A similar impression is found on the +superior surface of the slab containing the Argozoum.</p> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" > + +<h3>GROUP TENTH.</h3> + +<p>The tenth group contains the <span class="smcap">Harpagopus</span>, a name +derived from <a name="harpage" class="greek"><i>ἁρπαγὴ</i></a>, <i>seizure</i>, <i>rapine</i>. It is represented +by President Hitchcock as having the form of a drag. +The figure given by him resembles in a degree the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span> +foot of the African ostrich; being a long thick toe, +with a shorter one, not unlike a thumb, on the side. +An impression approximating this, but of small size, +may be seen on the slab of the Anomœpus Scambus.</p> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" > + +<p>The formation of bird-tracks is well represented by +a clay specimen, about an inch thick, and ten inches +long. This is a piece of dried clay, obtained by President +Hitchcock from the banks of the Connecticut, +and produced by washings from clay on the shore +above, covered with foot-impressions of a small tridactylous +bird, and dried in the sun. This piece shows, +in a way not to be questioned, the manner in which +the ancient vestiges were produced. Sir Charles Lyell +noticed a similar fact on the banks of the Bay of +Fundy.</p> +<p> </p> + + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="ORGANIC_IMPRESSIONS" id="ORGANIC_IMPRESSIONS"></a>ORGANIC IMPRESSIONS.</h2> + +<p>The <i>second</i> great division of fossil impressions +is called <span class="smcap">Organic</span>, meaning impressions made by +organized bodies; the bones of animals, fishes, and +vegetables.</p> + +<p>Near one extremity of the slab of the Ornithopus +Gallinaceus is an elevation, about a foot long, and +between one and two inches wide, projecting from the +surface nearly half an inch. It has the appearance of +a round bar of iron imbedded in the rock, which is +clayey sandstone. This apparent bar of iron was +probably a bone, buried in the stone, now silicified +and impregnated with iron; the animal matter having +entirely disappeared. In the slab of the Brontozoum +Sillimanium is a projection about seven or eight inches +long, and half an inch wide; probably the bone of +an animal, perhaps a clavicle of the Brontozoum +Giganteum.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span> +The vestiges of fishes are very numerous in the +sandstone rocks of Connecticut River. We have not +less than two dozen specimens from this locality; a +number equal to all the other specimens in our collection. +These impressions of fishes are generally from +three to six inches long, and three or four inches +wide. They are of the grand division denominated by +Professor Agassiz "heterocercal," having their tails +unequally bilobed, from the partial prolongation of +the dorsal spine; and they are considered to be of +lower antiquity than the fishes which are entirely heterocercal. +The most remarkable of the fish-specimens +in our collection is a <span class="smcap">Cephalaspis</span> (?): this fish is found +in the specimen containing tracks of the Brontozoum +Gracillimum, and traces of a turtle or tortoise. This +fossil was discovered in the upper layer of the old red +sandstone of Scotland, and had been mistaken by +some for a trilobite: to us it appeared to be a Limulus, +but further observation leads us to believe it to be +a <i>Cephalaspis</i>. It exhibits a convex disc, four inches +across, by two inches from above downwards, and a +tail at right angles with the disc, the uncovered part +of which is three inches long. The animal has been +described by Professor Agassiz as being composed of a +strong buckler, with a pointed horn at either termination +of the crescent, and an angular tail.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span> +To the vegetable impressions discovered among the +sandstone rocks a peculiar name has not yet been +assigned. When, however, we consider the strong +probability that many impressions of stalks, leaves, +fruits, and other parts of vegetables, may be hereafter +discovered in these rocks, it will be found convenient +to have a distinctive denomination. Vast numbers of +vegetable impressions of a distinct and beautiful appearance, +and in great variety, have been found in the +coal-formation, which is nearly allied to the sandstone: +such are the Sigillaria, Stigmaria, Equisetaceæ, Lycopodiaceæ, +Coniferæ, Cycadeæ, &c. It is sufficient to +say that the number of these has been already swelled +to many hundreds: we must also believe, that some of +the impressions in sandstone rocks which have been +assigned to other substances ought to be attributed to +vegetables. We may, therefore, venture to call the +vegetable impressions "phytological."</p> + +<p>A number of our slabs bear impressions of vegetables; +either twigs of trees, or spires of plants. In a +fragment broken from one of the toes of the Brontozoum +Giganteum, we see a cylindrical depression, +three inches long, and half an inch in diameter, +marked by transverse lines, about the sixth of an inch +apart, and presenting an unquestionable appearance +of a fragment of a twig of an ancient vegetable, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span> +which had been trodden under the foot of the mighty +Brontozoum. On the reversed surface of the same +slab are found impressions, which were produced by a +number of fragments of sticks, five or six inches long, +lying at right angles, or nearly so. One of these +sticks has been broken, and its pieces are slightly +displaced from each other. Various other specimens +contain the marks of sticks, or twigs of trees. The +striæ, so distinctly discernable in a number of these +portions, having been compared with twigs of the +existing coniferæ (?), were found to resemble them. +Some of these sticks show the appearance of incipient +carbonization; yet the rock is sandstone, presenting, +as already mentioned, distinct appearances of quartz, +and other substances of which the arenaceous rocks +are composed.</p> +<p> </p> + + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="PHYSICAL_IMPRESSIONS" id="PHYSICAL_IMPRESSIONS"></a>PHYSICAL IMPRESSIONS.</h2> + + +<p>The <i>third</i> great division of impressions in the +sandstone rocks is called <span class="smcap">Physical</span>, meaning those +made by inanimate and unorganized substances; such +are rain-drops, ripple-marks, and coprolites.</p> + +<p>1. Marks of rain-drops, described on page 20, +appear to be quite common. We have two or three +specimens in relief, and as many in depression. They +occur as follows: 1st, on the upper surface of the +slab first described; 2d, on that of the Platypterna; +3d, on that of the Æthyopus Lyellianus; 4th, on that +of the Brontozoum Gracillimum; 5th, on that of the +Æthyopus Minor; 6th, on that of the Anomœpus +Scambus; 7th, on the recent clay; also in one small +hand-specimen, and in a second containing two fishes. +They show that, in those ancient periods when the +Brontozoum Giganteum and the Otozoum resided in +these parts, showers were frequent, and probably +abundant for the supply of the wants and the gratification +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span> +of the appetites of these animals, then common, +but which now appear to us so extraordinary.</p> + +<p>2. Ripple-marks are seen in a number of these +pieces; for example, on the slab first described, on +the Brontozoum Sillimanium slab, on the Brontozoum +Gracillimum slab, on one of the Triænopus, and on +the upper surface of the Greenfield slab. These +marks are represented by parallel curves, or straight +lines, distant from each other from half an inch to +an inch, and presenting a slight degree of prominence. +There is another form of ripple-marks(?), differing +from those above described. These are of a circular +and mammillary form: they are strewed thickly, like +little islets, approximating to each other. They are +seen distinctly on one of the slabs of the Brontozoum +Sillimanium, on that of the Æthyopus Lyellianus, +and some others. Whether they are to be considered +as accumulations of sand and clay, formed by the +action of the sea, we are uncertain; but there seems +to be no other cause to which they can be assigned +with so great probability.</p> + +<p>3. <i>Coprolites</i>, the fossilized ejections of animals, are +intermixed with other animal vestiges in the sandstone +of Connecticut River, and afford additional proof of +the former existence of animals about these rocks. +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span></p> + +<p>The latest accounts of fossil footprints we have had +occasion to notice are those of the Crustacea, already +mentioned, as found in Canada, and of the Chelonian +in Scotland. The Canadian impressions, called by +Professor Owen Protichnites, were discovered in the +year 1847, and were laid before the London Geological +Society in 1851. The most remarkable circumstance +about them was their existence, as already stated, in +a white sandstone, near the banks of the River St. +Lawrence, at Beauharnais. This sandstone, which has +been described by New York geologists under the +name of Potsdam, is thought to belong to the Silurian +system, and to have a higher antiquity than even the +"old red."</p> + +<p>The Scotch footsteps are situated in the old red +sandstone, and are those of a Chelonian. So that we +have now two series of tracks, the Crustacea in Canada +and the Chelonian in Scotland, of higher antiquity +than any which had been previously discovered.</p> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" > + +<p>On a review of the labors of President Hitchcock, +we are struck with admiration at the immense details +that, in the midst of arduous official and literary +duties, he has been able to go through with in the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span> +period since the foot-tracks were discovered on Connecticut +River. Although his labors should be modified +by succeeding observers, Science must be ever +grateful to him for laying the foundation, and doing +so much for the completion, of a work so great, novel, +and interesting.</p> + +<p>This inquiry seems to us to promise a rich variety; +and we hope that President Hitchcock and other +observers will continue to explore and cultivate it +with undiminished zeal.</p> +<p> </p> + + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span></p> +<h3><a name="DESCRIPTION_OF_THE_PLATE" id="DESCRIPTION_OF_THE_PLATE"></a>DESCRIPTION OF THE PLATE.</h3> + +<p>We are indebted to Photography for enabling us to +represent the <a href="#Page_slab">remarkable slab</a> from Greenfield, and its +numerous objects, in a small space, yet with perfect +accuracy. This slab is four feet seven and one-half +inches in one direction, and four feet one inch transversely +to this; in thickness it measures about an +inch. It is composed of gray sandstone, in which +the micaceous element is conspicuous, and contains +many interesting impressions on both surfaces.</p> + +<p>The most interesting surface is the inferior; and +the objects are, of course, presented in relief. They +are, first, two Chelonian tracks; second, four sets of +bird-tracks; third, footsteps of an unknown animal. +The <i>Chelonian tracks</i> are two in number: the longest +measures four feet ten inches; the shorter, two feet +nine inches. Both of these impressions are made +apparently by the plastron of the turtle. They are +from four to eight inches in width, and composed of +elevated striæ. These striæ are formed by raised lines, +pursuing a course generally regular, but accompanied +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span> +with some inflections: they are, as the plate represents, +very distinct. The shorter track appeared to +me to be crossed by another; but the photographic +impression, though only a few inches long, enabled +me to ascertain that this appearance was produced by +bird-tracks above and below.</p> + +<p>The <i>bird-tracks</i> are all tridactylous. The first set +lies above and to the right of the shorter turtle-track, +and is composed of only two steps, proceeding in the +course of the plate downwards. The second set of +bird-tracks has five impressions, extending from the +right superior pointed angle of the slab across the +small turtle-track to the larger, in which it is lost. +The third set of bird-tracks begins by an impression +larger than any other on the piece at the left extremity +of the longer turtle-track; and the remainder, +three in number, descending towards the right, are +the least distinct of any. The fourth set of bird-tracks +begins below the longer turtle-track, and ascends by +four impressions, crossing the track till it meets the +first.</p> + +<p>The most curious track, consisting of six digitated +impressions, still remains. The first is seen on the +left of the longer turtle-track, near the largest bird-track; +the second is on the track; the third is above +the track; the others cross the slab by fainter impressions. +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span> +Each of them is composed by two feet, and +each foot contains four toes, which are seen more +distinctly in some impressions than in others. The +largest of these double tracks is about three inches in +diameter. Perhaps it would be useless to speculate +upon what kind of animal they were made by. +There is a similarity between these and the tracks of +the Anomœpus Scambus, spoken of in the sixth +group. In the latter, however, the toes are five and +three. Some experienced persons think they are +tracks of the mink, Mustela Lutreola, an animal common +at the present day in these parts. This has five +toes; but it may be in this as in some other digitigrades, +that one of the toes in each foot does not +make an impression; or perhaps it is safer to believe, +till further investigation is made, that it was an animal +of a construction not now existing.</p> + +<p>The direction of these tracks presents a puzzle we +are not able to unravel; it exhibits the impressions +of four toes, and we have supposed it might possess +five. In either of these cases, we have no right to +consider it a bird-track, but probably a reptile or a +mammal. Admitting this to be the fact, we are +unable to account for the direction of the steps, which +is not alternate, as in the quadruped, but in straight +lines. In other words, this animal, supposed to have +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span> +four legs, gives us the impressions of two only, and +both of these placed together.</p> + +<p>When the tridactylous tracks are attentively considered, +compared with each other, and with the +digitated tracks, they appear to exhibit the character +of the impressions of the feet of birds so very +decidedly, that it would require something more than +a philosophic incredulity to question their ornithic +origin.</p> + +<p>The other side of this slab contains interesting +impressions. In the first place, this surface is covered +with ripple-marks, each about two inches broad, +extending with various degrees of distinctness across +the slab, and having an interval of an inch. The +width of the ridges is greater than in any of the +specimens we have seen.</p> + +<p>This surface is almost covered by rain-drops. It +has also, among other impressions, one which has +been drawn by Mr. Silsbee, our photographist, and +represented by the figure below of its proper size. +This figure, nearly four and a half inches in length, +is an exact resemblance in form, but not in size, of +the great Otozoum, as depicted by President Hitchcock, +and shown by the actual impression, in our +hands, of the great foot, twenty inches long, and of +proportionate breadth. The form of the heel, or posterior +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span> +part of the foot, is the same in the two figures; +the toes are equal in both, viz. four in number; the +two internal toes correspond in their articulations, +and the two external are nearly alike, with a little +allowance for a different amount of adipose texture. +Whether this was the impression of an infant Otozoum, +I pretend not to determine: the drawing was +taken by a gentleman who knew nothing of the +Otozoum. There are similar impressions, smaller +than that last described, on the same surface.</p> + +<p>The stone, though now very hard and intractable, +having resisted all the chemical agents we could +employ, must have remained in a soft state for some +time; for the impressions of the foot shown below +penetrate to the opposite surface.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px"> +<img src="images/otozoum_imp.png" width="600" height="392" alt="Otozoum impression" > +</div> +<p> </p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span></p> + +<p>In this description we have not attempted to +point out all the objects worthy of interest on both +sides of this curious slab. Every part of it is full +of interest, and presents a field for protracted observations. +The surface represented in the plate may, +by the aid of a magnifier, be studied without the +presence of the stone itself; for the photographic art +displays the most minute objects without alteration +or omission.</P> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + + +<div class="footnotes"> +<h4>Footnotes</h4> +<div class="footnote"><a name="Footnote_A" id="Footnote_A"></a><a href="#FNanchor_A"><span class="label">[A]</span></a> The following are the names of French travellers, who have been supposed +to have seen the eggs of the Epyornis in the Island of Madagascar: +M. Sganzin, in 1831; M. Goudot, in 1833; M. Dumarele, in 1848; and +M. Abadie, in 1850.</div> +<p> </p> + +<div class="footnote"><a name="Footnote_B" id="Footnote_B"></a><a href="#FNanchor_B"><span class="label">[B]</span></a> Mr. Marsh was a mechanic of the town of Greenfield, and procured his +subsistence by his daily labor. Being employed by Dr. Deane in obtaining +the sandstone slabs of Ornithichnites, he acquired a taste for the pursuit, +entered into it with extraordinary ardor, and accumulated by his own labors a +great collection of fine specimens. He unfortunately fell into a consumption, +and died in 1852. The collection was sold at public auction for a sum +between two and three thousand dollars. The specimens were purchased by +the Boston Society of Natural History, by Amherst College, and by various +colleges and scientific associations in this country.</div> +<p> </p> + +<div class="footnote"><a name="Footnote_C" id="Footnote_C"></a><a href="#FNanchor_C"><span class="label">[C]</span></a> The specific name of Moodii has been attached to the Otozoum, from its +having been discovered by Mr. Moody.</div> +<p> </p> +</div> + +</div> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Remarks on some fossil impressions in +the sandstone rocks of Connecticut River, by John Collins Warren + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FOSSIL IMPRESSIONS--CONNECTICUT RIVER *** + +***** This file should be named 34056-h.htm or 34056-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/4/0/5/34056/ + +Produced by Tom Cosmas and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Remarks on some fossil impressions in the sandstone rocks of Connecticut River + +Author: John Collins Warren + +Release Date: October 11, 2010 [EBook #34056] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FOSSIL IMPRESSIONS--CONNECTICUT RIVER *** + + + + +Produced by Tom Cosmas and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + + + + + + + + + [Illustration: Slab with fossil impressions] + + + + + REMARKS + ON SOME + FOSSIL IMPRESSIONS + IN + THE SANDSTONE ROCKS OF CONNECTICUT RIVER. + + BY + JOHN C. WARREN, M.D. + PRESIDENT OF THE BOSTON SOCIETY OF NATURAL HISTORY. + + [Illustration: Logo] + + BOSTON: + TICKNOR AND FIELDS, + 135, Washington Street. + 1854. + + + + BOSTON: + PRINTED BY JOHN WILSON AND SON, + 22, School Street. + + + + +The principal part of these remarks were made at the meetings of +the BOSTON SOCIETY OF NATURAL HISTORY. A portion of them also +have been printed in the Proceedings of the Society. + +The object of this publication is to afford to those who are not +members of the Society an opportunity of obtaining some knowledge +of Fossil Impressions, which they might not be able to obtain +elsewhere so conveniently. + +Some account of the Epyornis seems to be very properly connected +with Ornithichnites. + +The first of these papers was written in October, 1853; the others +in the earlier part of the present year. + + + + + [Illustration: Epyornis] + + + THE EPYORNIS; + + OR, + + GREAT BIRD OF MADAGASCAR, AND ITS EGGS. + + +In the course of the year 1851, an account was circulated of the +discovery of an immense egg, or eggs, in the Island of Madagascar. The +size of the eggs spoken of was so disproportionate to that of any +previously known, that most persons received the account with +incredulity; and, I must confess, I was one of this number. Being in +Paris soon after hearing of this report, I made inquiry on the +subject, and was surprised to learn, that the great egg was actually +existing in the Museum of Natural History in Paris. In a few days I +had an opportunity of seeing a cast of it in the hands of the artist, +M. Strahl, of whom I solicited one. He informed me that it could not +be obtained at that moment; but that, if my request were made known to +the Administration of the Museum, he had no doubt they would accede to +it. I accordingly did apply, and also presented them with the cast of +a perfect head of Mastodon Giganteus; and they very liberally granted +my request. + +The distinguished naturalist, Professor Geoffroy St. Hilaire, the +second of that honorable name, has made a statement to the Academy of +Sciences, which, though only initiatory, contains many facts of a very +interesting nature, some of which I have had an opportunity of +verifying; and to him we are indebted for a greater part of the +others. + +The eggs sent to me are, in number, two; one of which was purchased by +M. Abadie, captain of a French vessel, from the natives. Another was +soon afterwards found, equal in size. A third egg was discovered in an +alluvial stratum near a stream of water, together with other valuable +relics of the animal which had probably produced them; but, +unfortunately, it was broken during transportation. Of the two eggs, +one is of an ovoid form, having much the shape of a hen's egg; and the +other is an ellipsoid. + +The ovoid egg is of enormous size, even when compared with the largest +egg we are acquainted with. Its long diameter exceeds thirteen inches +of our English measure, its short diameter eight, and its long +circumference thirty-three inches. Its capacity is thought to be equal +to eighteen liquid pints, or to be six times greater than that of the +largest egg known to us (the ostrich), although but twice its length. +It is said to be equal to a hundred and forty-eight hen eggs. The +ellipsoid egg has its longest diameter somewhat less than that of the +ovoid; its short diameter nearly equals that of the other egg, being +more than eight inches. The third egg, although broken, has been very +useful to science, by displaying the thickness of the shell, which is +about one-tenth of an inch. + +The bones, of which I have received the casts, are three in number, +and of great interest. One of them is a characteristic fragment of the +upper part of a fibula; the other two, still more interesting, as +enabling us to determine the class and genus of the animal to which +they belong, exhibit the extremities of the right and left +tarso-metatarsal bones. The former is somewhat broken; the latter is +nearly perfect, and exhibits the triple division of the inferior +extremity of the bone into the three trochleae or pulley-shaped +processes of the struthious birds. It might be mistaken for a bone of +the great Dinornis, but is distinguished from this by the flatness of +the portion above the trochleae. Still less is it one of the bones of +the ostrich, its three pulleys being separated from each other by +distinct intervals; whereas the pulleys of the ostrich have only one +such separation, constituting two distinct eminences. + +M. Geoffroy St. Hilaire considered himself justified, from these and +other facts, in deciding this bone to belong to a bird of a new genus, +to which he gives the name of EPYORNIS, from _aipys_, _high_, +_tall_, and _ornis_, _bird_; and, as probably it is a specimen of the +largest animal of the family, he affixes the specific name of +_maximus_. + +The size of this bird, inferred from that of its egg, would be vastly +superior to that of the ostrich. But if we notice the comparative size +of the trochleated extremity of the tarso-metatarsal bone, we shall +see that its height would be greatly exaggerated by adopting such a +basis for its establishment; in fact, it would not probably exceed a +height double that of the ostrich. And, though it must have been +superior to that of the Dinornis maximus of Prof. Owen, it might +perhaps excel it only by the difference of two or three feet. A bird +of twelve or thirteen feet in height would, however, if we stood in +its presence, appear enormous, and must have greatly astonished and +terrified the natives of Madagascar. Whether it now exists is +uncertain, as it may possibly have a habitation in the wild recesses +of the island, which have never yet been visited by any European +traveller. + +The credit of most of the observations and discoveries relating to +this remarkable bird is attributable to French naturalists;[A] and it +seems to be a duty devolving on English and American navigators to +complete the history thus happily begun, and to tell us whether the +Epyornis still exists in the mountain-forests of Madagascar, or at +least present us with its extraordinary relics. + + [Footnote A: The following are the names of French travellers, who + have been supposed to have seen the eggs of the Epyornis in the + Island of Madagascar: M. Sganzin, in 1831; M. Goudot, in 1833; M. + Dumarele, in 1848; and M. Abadie, in 1850.] + + + + + FOSSIL IMPRESSIONS.--I. + + +Ichnology, a newly created branch of science, takes its name from the +Greek word _ichnos_, a _track_ or _footstep_, and the tracks +themselves have been denominated Ichnites, or, when they refer to +birds only, Ornithichnites, from _ornis_, a _bird_. And this last term +has by custom been generally applied to ancient impressions, though +not correctly. + +Geology has revealed to us not only the remains of animals and +vegetables, but the impressions made by them during their lives, and +even the impressions of unorganized bodies. The first notice of these +appearances was, as often happens, regarded with indifference or +scepticism; but their number and variety enlightened the public mind, +and opened a new source of information and improvement. + +The first remarkable observation made on fossil footsteps was that of +the Rev. Dr. Duncan, of Scotland, in 1828. He noticed, in a _new red +sandstone_ quarry in Dumfriesshire, impressions of the feet of small +animals of the tortoise kind, having four feet, and five toes on each +foot. They were seen in various layers through a thickness of forty +feet or more. + +Sandstone, in which these impressions are principally discovered, is a +rock composed chiefly of siliceous and micaceous particles cemented +together by calcareous or argillaceous paste, containing salt, and +colored with various shades of the oxide of iron, particularly the +red, gray, brown. It has been remarked by Prof. H. D. Rogers, that the +perfection of the surface containing fossil footmarks is often +attributable to a micaceous deposit. The layers of sandstone have been +formed by deposits from sea-water, dried in succession; such layers +are also seen in the roofing slate. These deposits on the shores of +the ocean, having in a soft condition received the impressions of the +feet of birds, other animals, vegetables, and also of rain-drops, +under favorable circumstances dried, hardened, and formed a rock of +greater or less solidity. Our colleague, Dr. Gould, has exhibited to +us a specimen of dried clay from the shores of the Bay of Fundy, +containing beautiful impressions, recently made, of the footsteps of +birds. The particles brought by the waves, and deposited in the manner +described, were derived from the destruction of other rocks previously +existing, particularly granite and flint, or silex, the shining atoms +of which compose no small part of the sandstone rock. + +It is easy to conceive, that, while these deposits were taking place +in the soft condition, portions of vegetable matters might become +intermixed; and that these, with the impressions of the feet and other +parts of animals and unorganized substances, might be preserved by the +process of desiccation. The agency of internal heat may have also been +employed in some cases in baking and hardening these crusty layers. + +The sandstone rock, though in some places actually in a state of +formation at the present time, lies in such a manner in the earth's +crust as to indicate an immense antiquity. The age of these beds +varies in different situations. The sandstone rocks which contain the +greater part of the impressions are called _new red sandstone_, to +distinguish them from the _old red_, which is of a greater age. The +deposits on Connecticut River may not be attributed to the action of +this river, but are of higher antiquity, probably, than the river +itself, and proceeded from the waves of an ancient sea, existing in a +state of the surface of the globe very different from that of the +present day. + +In 1834, tracks were discovered near Hildberghausen in Saxony, to +which Prof. Kaup, of Darmstadt, gave the name of Chirotherium, from +the resemblance to the impressions of the human hand. On a subsequent +examination, Prof. Owen preferred the name of Labyrinthodon, from the +resemblance of the folds in the teeth to the convolutions of the +brain. + +Various other instances of impressions were seen; and, in the year +1835, Dr. Deane and Mr. Marsh, residents of Greenfield, noticed +impressions resembling the feet of birds in sandstone rocks of that +neighborhood. These observations having come to the knowledge of +President Hitchcock, of Amherst College, that gentleman began a +thorough investigation of the subject, followed it up with unremitted +ardor, and has, since 1836 (the date of his first publication), laid +before the public a great amount of ichnological information, and +really created a new science. Dr. Deane, on his part, has not been +idle: besides making valuable discoveries, he has written a number of +excellent papers to record some portion of his numerous observations. + +In 1837, at the request of my friend Dr. Boott, I carried to London, +for the Museum of the Royal College of Surgeons, various scientific +objects peculiar to this country; among which were a number of casts +of Ornithichnites. + +These casts were kindly furnished me by President Hitchcock, and the +Government of the Royal College thereon voted to present to President +Hitchcock and Amherst College casts of the skeleton of the famous +Megatherium of South America. These casts were packed, and sent to be +embarked in a ship destined for Boston, but were unluckily delivered +to a wrong shipping house in London, and I lost sight of them for some +time. They were at length discovered. After remaining in this +situation for more than a year, they were sold at public auction; and, +notwithstanding many efforts on my part, I was unable to obtain and +transmit them to Amherst College. + +The fossil impressions which have been distinguished in various places +in the new red sandstone are those of birds, frogs, turtles, lizards, +fishes, mollusca, crustacea, worms, and zoophytes. Besides these, the +impressions made by rain-drops, ripple-marks in the sand, coprolites +or indurated remains of faeces of animals, and even impressions of +vegetables, have been preserved and transmitted from a remote +antiquity. No authentic human impressions have yet been established; +and none of the mammalia, except the marsupials.(?) We must, however, +remember that, although the early paleontology contains no record of +birds, the ancient existence of these animals is now fully +ascertained. Remains of birds were discovered in the Paris gypsum by +Cuvier previous to 1830. Since that time, they have been found in the +Lower Eocene in England, and the Swiss Alps; and there is reason to +believe that osseous relics may be met with in the same deposits which +contain the foot-marks. Most of the bird-tracks which have been +observed, belong to the wading birds, or Grallae. + +The number of toes in existing birds varies from two to five. In the +fossil bird-tracks, the most frequent number is three, called +tridactylous; but there are instances also of four or tetradactylous, +and two or didactylous. The number of articulations corresponds in +ornithichnites with living birds: when there are four toes, the inner +or hind toe has two articulations, the second toe three, the third toe +four, the outer toe five. The impressions of the articulations are +sometimes very distinct, and even that of the skin covering them. + +President Hitchcock has distinguished more than thirty species of +birds, four of lizards, three of tortoises, and six of batrachians. + +The great difference in the characters of many fossil animals from +those of existing genera and species, in the opinion of Prof. Agassiz, +makes it probable that in various instances the traces of supposed +birds may be in fact traces of other animals, as, for example, those +of the lizard or frog. And he supports this opinion, among other +reasons, by the disappearance of the heel in a great number of +Ornithichnites. + +D'Orbigny, to whom we are indebted for the most ample and systematic +work on Paleontology ("Cours Elementaire de Paleontologie et de +Geologie," 5 vols. 1849-52), does not accept the arrangement of +President Hitchcock. He objects to the term Ornithichnites, and +proposes what he considers a more comprehensive arrangement into +organic, physiological, and physical impressions. _Organic +impressions_ are those which have been produced by the remains of +organized substances, such as vegetable impressions from calamites, +&c. _Physiological impressions_ are those produced by the feet and +other parts of animals. _Physical impressions_ are those from +rain-drops and ripple-marks; and to these may be added coprolites in +substance. This plan of D'Orbigny seems to exclude the curious and +interesting distinctions of groups, genera, and species; in this way +diminishing the importance of the science of Ichnology. + +Fossil impressions have been found on this continent in the +carboniferous strata of Nova Scotia, and of the Alleghenies; in the +sandstone of New Jersey, and in that of the Connecticut Valley in a +great number of places, from the town of Gill in Massachusetts to +Middletown in Connecticut, a distance of about eighty miles. + +A slab from Turner's Falls, obtained for me by Dr. Deane in 1845, +measuring two feet by two and a half, and two inches in thickness, +contains at least ten different sets of impressions, varying from five +inches in length to two and a half, with a proportionate length of +stride from thirteen inches to six. All these are tridactylous, and +represent at least four different species. In most of them the +distinction of articulation is quite clear. The articulations of each +toe can readily be counted, and they are found to agree with the +general statement made above as to number. The impressions are +singularly varied as to depth; some of them, perfectly distinct, are +superficial, like those made by the fingers laid lightly on a mass of +dough, while others are of sufficient depth nearly to bury the toes; +some of the tracks cross each other, and, being of different sizes, +belong to animals of different ages or different species. There is one +curious instance of the tracks of a large and heavy bird, in which, +from the softness of the mud, the bird slipped in a lateral direction, +and then gained a firm footing; the mark of the first step, though +deep, is ill-defined and uncertain; the space intervening between the +tracks is superficially furrowed; in the settled step, which is the +deepest, the toes are very strongly indicated. On the same surface are +impressions of nails, which may have belonged to birds or chelonians. + +The inferior surface of the same slab exhibits appearances more +superficial, less numerous, but generally regular. There are three +sets of tracks entirely distinct from each other; two of them +containing three tracks, and one containing two,--the latter being +much the largest in size. In addition, there is one set of tracks, +which are probably those of a tortoise. These marks present two other +points quite observable and interesting. One is that they are +displayed in relief, while those on the upper surface are in +depression. The relief in this lower surface would be the cast of a +cavity in the layer below; so the depressions in the upper surface +would be moulds of casts above. The second point is the +non-correspondence of the upper and lower surfaces; i.e. the +depressions in the upper surface have not a general correspondence +with the elevations on its inferior surface. The tracks above were +made by different individuals and different species from those below. +This leads to another interesting consideration, that in the thickness +of this slab there must be a number of different layers, and in each +of them there may be a different series of tracks. + +To these last remarks there is one exception: the deep impression in +which the bird slipped in a lateral direction corresponds with an +elevation on the lower surface, in which the impression of these toes +is very distinctly displayed, and even the articulations. Moreover, +one of the tracks on the inferior surface interferes with the outer +track in the superior, and tends in an opposite direction, so that +this last-described footstep must have been made before the other. It +is also observable, that, while all the other tracks are superficial, +this last penetrates the whole thickness of the slab; thus showing +that the different deposits continued some time in a soft state. + +On the surfaces of this slab, particularly on the upper, there are +various marks besides those of the feet, some of which seem to have +been made by straws, or portions of grass, or sticks; and there is a +curved line some inches in length, which seems to have arisen from +shrinkage. + +In the collection of Mr. Marsh,[B] there were two slabs of great size, +each measuring ten by six feet, having a great number of impressions +of feet, and about the same thickness as the slab under examination. +One of these presented depressions; and the other, corresponding +reliefs. These very interesting relations were necessarily parted in +the sale of Mr. Marsh's collection; one of them being obtained for the +Boston Society of Natural History, and the other for the collection of +Amherst College. + + [Footnote B: Mr. Marsh was a mechanic of the town of Greenfield, + and procured his subsistence by his daily labor. Being employed by + Dr. Deane in obtaining the sandstone slabs of Ornithichnites, he + acquired a taste for the pursuit, entered into it with + extraordinary ardor, and accumulated by his own labors a great + collection of fine specimens. He unfortunately fell into a + consumption, and died in 1852. The collection was sold at public + auction for a sum between two and three thousand dollars. The + specimens were purchased by the Boston Society of Natural History, + by Amherst College, and by varioud colleges and scientific + associations in this country.] + +The _Physical Impressions_, according to Professor D'Orbigny, are +of three kinds, viz.: 1st, Rain-drops; 2d, Ripple-marks; and 3d, +Coprolites. I have a slab which exhibits two leptodactylous +tracks very distinct, about an inch and a half long, surrounded +by impressions of rain-drops and ripple-marks. Another specimen +exhibits the impressions of rain in a more distinct and remarkable +manner. The imprints are of various sizes, from those which might +be made by a common pea to others four times its diameter; some +are deep, others superficial and almost imperceptible. They are +generally circular, but some are ovoid. Some have the edge equally +raised around, as if struck by a perpendicular drop; and others +have the edge on one part faintly developed, while another part is +very sharp and well defined, as if the drop had struck obliquely. +It has been suggested, that these fossil rain-drops may have been +made by particles of hail; but I think the variety of size and +depth of depression would have been more considerable if thus +made. + +Although we have necessarily treated the subject of fossil +footmarks in a very brief way, sufficient has been said to show +that this new branch of Paleontology may lead to interesting +results. The fact that they are, in some manner, peculiar to this +region, seems to call upon our Society to obtain a sufficient +number of specimens to exhibit to scientific men a fair +representation of the condition of Ichnology in this quarter of +our country; and we have therefore great reason to congratulate +ourselves, that, through the vigilance and spirit of our members, +the Society has the expectation of obtaining a rich collection +of ichnological specimens. + + + + + FOSSIL IMPRESSIONS.--II. + + +Since writing the preceding article, I have been able to obtain, +through the kindness of President Hitchcock, a number of additional +specimens of fossil impressions. By the aid of these, I may hope to +give an idea of the system of impressions, so far as it has been +discovered, without, however, attempting to enter into minute details. +For these, I would refer to the account of the "Geology of +Massachusetts," by President Hitchcock; to his valuable article +published in the "Memoirs of the American Academy;" and to his +geological works generally. + +The numerous tracks which have been assembled together in the +neighborhood of Connecticut River have afforded an opportunity of +prosecuting these studies to an extent unusual in the primitive rocky +soil of New England. These appearances are not, indeed, wholly new. +Such traces had been previously met with in other countries; but, in +their number and variety, the valley of the Connecticut abounds above +all places hitherto investigated. + +Twenty years have elapsed since the study of Ichnology has been +prosecuted in this country; and, in this period of time, about +forty-nine species of animal tracks have been distinguished in the +locality mentioned, according to President Hitchcock; which have been +regularly arranged by him in groups, genera, and species. + +I propose now to lay the specimens, recently obtained, before the +Society, as a slight preparation for the more numerous and more +valuable articles which they are soon to receive. + +The traces found on ancient rocks, as has been shown in the previous +article, are those of animals, vegetables, and unorganized substances. +The traces of animals are produced by quadrupeds, birds, lizards, +turtles, frogs, mollusca, worms, crustacea, and zoophytes. These +impressions are of various forms: some of them simple excavations; +some lines, either straight or curved, and others complicated into +various figures. + +President Hitchcock has based his distinctions of fossil animal +impressions on the following characters, viz.:-- + + 1. Toes thick, pachydactylous; or thin, leptodactylous. + 2. Feet winged. + 3. Number of toes from two to five, inclusive. + 4. Absolute and relative length of the toes. + 5. Divarication of the lateral toes. + 6. Angle made by the inner and middle, outer and middle toes. + 7. Projection of the middle beyond the lateral toes. + 8. Distance between tips of lateral toes. + 9. Distance between tips of middle and inner and outer toes. + 10. Position and direction of hind toe. + 11. Character of claw. + 12. Width of toes. + 13. Number and length of phalangeal expansions. + 14. Character of the heel. + 15. Irregularities of under side of foot. + 16. Versed sine of curvature of toes. + 17. Angle of axis of foot with line of direction. + 18. Distance of posterior part of the foot from line of direction. + 19. Length of step. + 20. Size of foot. + 21. Character of the integuments of the foot. + 22. Coprolites. + 23. Means of distinguishing bipedal from quadrupedal tracks. + +By these characters, President Hitchcock has distinguished +physiological tracks, or those made by animated beings, into ten +groups provisionally. To these may be added, "organic impressions," +made by organized bodies; and the impressions made by inanimate +bodies, called "physical impressions." + +The specimens under our hands enable us to give some notion of the +distinctions which characterize the greater part of these groups. + + * * * * * + + GROUP FIRST--STRUTHIONES. + +The ostrich-tracks present a numerous natural and most remarkable +group; remarkable from the great size of some species,--all of them +tridactylous and pachydactylous. The ostrich of the Old World has only +two toes, but this family exists in South America at the present time +under the name of Rhea Americana; and tracks of an animal, probably of +the same family, are found in the numerous impressions near +Connecticut River,--all of them having three toes in front, and the +rudiment of a fourth behind. + +This group contains a number of genera. The FIRST GENUS, denominated +_Brontozoum_, presents the tracks of a most extraordinary bird. These +tracks appear less questionable since the discovery in Madagascar of +the eggs of the Epyornis. + +The tracks of the largest species, the BRONTOZOUM GIGANTEUM, are +four times the magnitude of those made by the existing ostrich of +Africa. They are very numerous, and congregated together. The foot of +the Brontozoum Giganteum, including the inferior extremity of the +tarso-metatarsal bone, which makes a part of the foot, measures in our +specimen twenty inches; in the Mastodon Giganteus, the foot measures +twenty-seven inches; the width also is less, being ten inches across +the metacarpals, while that of the Mastodon is twenty-two: but the one +is a bird, the other a quadruped. The toes are three in number, and +present the same divisions with existing birds; the inner toe having +three, the middle four, the outer five phalanges. Some of the +articulations of the toes of this noble specimen are remarkable for +the manner in which they illustrate the mode of formation of the +tracks. These phalanges have become separated from the solid rock in +which they were encased, so as to be removable at pleasure; and they +thus show that the whole foot is not a simple impression in the rock +which contains it, but a depression filled by foreign materials, i.e. +by sand, clay, and other relics of pre-existing rocks. These materials +had been gradually deposited in the mould formed by the bird's foot, +and are therefore independent of this rock, in the same way as the +plaster-of-Paris cast of a tooth, or any other body, is independent of +the mould to which it owes its form. The impressions are in gray +sandstone. + +On the reversed surface of the slab is seen a small piece of broken +quartz, about half an inch square. This piece forms a beautiful +illustration of a part of the process by which the sandstone rocks are +formed. + +The second species of the same genus is the BRONTOZOUM SILLIMANIUM. +Of this we have three specimens; the tracks have the same general +character with the preceding, but are smaller. + +The third species of this genus is styled the BRONTOZOUM LOXONYX, +from _loxos_, a _bow_, and _onyx_, a _nail_,--a curved nail. It is +smaller than the Sillimanium, and has the nail set to one side. + +The fourth species, still smaller, is the Brontozoum Gracillimum. On +this slab the impressions are in relief; viz.: 1st, of Brontozoum +Gracillimum; 2d, of Brontozoum Parallelum; 3d, of the track of a +tortoise, fourteen inches long, and two wide. Other extensive +eminences and depressions, with rain-drops, may be observed on the +same surface. + +The fifth species is called BRONTOZOUM PARALLELUM, from the tracks +being on a line with each other. Of this there are two specimens, one +of them, however, being a single track. On the surface of the other +slab there are at least five distinct tracks, one of them being a +small new and undescribed species,--thus making the whole number of +species of Brontozoum which we possess to be at least six. + +The SECOND GENUS of Struthiones is called _AEthyopus_, from +_aithuia_, a _gull_, and _pous_, a _foot_,--gull-footed. This genus +is smaller than the Brontozoum Giganteum; and we have two species, +viz. the AETHYOPUS LYELLIANUS, which is the larger, and two specimens +of AETHYOPUS MINOR. All of these are distinguished from the preceding +genus by the winged foot, and in the Lyellianus by the shallowness of +the impression. The AEthyopus Minor is not always distinguished by the +superficiality of its impression. This is sometimes deep. Therefore +this character may not be considered a distinctive one, or the +AEthyopus Minor might be referred to another genus. Of the two +specimens of this latter species, the first is in depression, +tridactylous. The depressions are deep with rain-drops, marks of +quadrupeds and zoophytes over the whole surface. The ornithichnic +impressions are two in number; one superficial, the other very deep. +The reversed surface of this slab contains one tridactylous impression +in relief. The second specimen has three depressions; two of which are +superficial, and the third is quite deep, displaying, by a depressed +surface, the webbed character of the foot. + + * * * * * + + GROUP SECOND. + +We shall take, to characterize this group, the _Argozoum_, from +_arges_, _swift_, _winged_. + +Of this genus there are two species, the larger of which is the +ARGOZOUM DISPARIDIGITATUM. It is leptodactylous, and remarkable for +the length of the middle toe. We have another species, which is +smaller than the last named, and in which the toes are nearly of equal +length; hence called ARGOZOUM PARIDIGITATUM. + +The other genus of this group is the PLATYPTERNA, and our specimen +is named _Deaniana_. This genus is remarkable for the width of the +heel; hence the name, from _platys_, _broad_, and _pterna_, _a heel_. +It has three toes like the other genera of this group. + + * * * * * + + GROUP THIRD. + +This and the succeeding group are tetradactylous; having one toe +behind, three forwards. + +The third group is leptodactylous; foot usually small, but sometimes +of medium size. Of it we have two specimens, viz.: ORNITHOPUS +GALLINACEUS, and ORNITHOPUS GRACILIS. The former is so called from the +resemblance to the domestic fowl: for convenience sake, in this and +other instances, we use the whole for a part. It is about three inches +in length, and the Ornithopus Gracilis about two. + +This latter specimen is particularly interesting. It consists of two +parts, which open like the covers of a book. These covers present four +impressions: first, the superficial, which is distinct, slender, and +beautiful--the heel is broad; second, corresponding with this +depression and on the inside, is a figure in relief as distinct as the +depression; third, on the inside of the second cover is a depression +corresponding with the relief last mentioned; fourth, on the outer +side is a second relief corresponding with the second depression, but +less distinct than either of the other three, still, however, +exhibiting three toes pointing anteriorly, but the hind toe is +wanting. The whole of this double slab forms a series of cameos and +intaglios, measuring four inches by three, and in thickness an inch +and a quarter. + + * * * * * + + GROUP FOURTH. + +Of the fourth group we have five specimens. The _Triaenopus_, so called +from its resemblance to a trident, has besides three leptodactylous +toes pointing forwards, a fourth extending backwards in a remarkable +way, like the handle of a trident; the impression, however, being +expanded so as to show an extensive displacement of the mud. All the +specimens of Triaenopus are in a beautiful red shale, very thin and +fragile, but presenting well-defined impressions, generally about +three inches long. + +There are two species to this genus. Of the TRIAENOPUS EMMONSIANUS we +notice three impressions in relief. In another specimen there is the +appearance of a part of the toes of the Anomoepus Scambus, and on the +upper side are seen two excavations corresponding with the three +impressions. In the last slab, the track of the TRIAENOPUS BAILEYANUS +appears to have been made by two feet placed successively in the same +spot, which led President Hitchcock to suspect it might have been made +by a quadruped. One of the specimens has the Triaenopus tracks +intermixed in a peculiar way with other impressions. + +The specimen representing the genus HARPEDACTYLUS is larger than the +preceding; and, though leptodactylous, the toes are much broader and +also more curved, whence the name Harpedactylus, _sickle-finger_, from +_harpe_ and _daktylos_. + + * * * * * + + GROUP FIFTH. + +The fifth group differs much from the four previous ones. In this and +the following groups we pass from the vestiges of birds to those of +other animals, some of which are bipeds, some quadrupeds. Many +impressions are without any distinct character, belonging probably to +the lower animals, to vegetables, and unorganized bodies. + +The fifth group comprehends the tracks of an extraordinary animal, the +OTOZOUM.[C] The name which has been given to it is taken from that +of an ancient giant, Otus, who with his brother Ephialtes, according +to heathen mythology, made war with the gods. These fabled giants +were, at nine years of age, nine cubits in width and nine fathoms in +height. + + [Footnote C: The specific name of Moodii has been attached to the + Otozoum, from its having been discovered by Mr. Moody.] + +The foot is divided into four toes; the two outer of which seem to be +connected by a common basis. The inner toe has three phalanges; the +second toe, also three; the third and fourth toes, four each. The +first is the shortest, the second longer, the third longest, the +fourth shorter than the third. It will appear, then, that this track +differs from that of birds in the number of toes pointing forwards; +these being four, while in birds the forward toes are only three. +There is a difference also in the number and arrangement of the +articulations. + +The track in our possession is twenty inches long by thirteen and a +half inches broad. The rock in which it is imbedded is a dark-colored +sandstone. President Hitchcock has a slab showing a regular series of +tracks of this animal; the distance between the steps being about +three feet, and the tracks equidistant and alternate, which would not +be the case if the animal had been quadrupedal. In a quadruped, the +horse for example, the hind feet are set down near the fore feet, and +sometimes even strike them. Hence it must be inferred that the track +in question was that of a biped, or of a quadruped which did not use +its fore feet in progression, like a kangaroo. We naturally ask, What +kind of biped could this have been? Evidently not a man, the size of +the foot being too large to admit such a supposition; nor could it +have been a bird, the number of toes and their direction not admitting +this hypothesis. + +Tetradactylous birds, or those which have four toes, have only three +of them directed forwards, and the fourth backwards, generally. There +are, however, exceptions; some birds have four toes directed forwards: +this is the fact with the Hirundo Cypselus and the Pelicanus Aquilus +of Linnaeus, or Man-of-war Bird. But the articulations are different in +the two animals, birds having regularly two, three, four, and five +phalanges, and the spur, where it exists, supported by a single +osseous phalanx; whereas the Otozoum has three phalanges in the inner +and second toe, four in the third and fourth toes. In this last +arrangement, the Otozoum is decidedly different from all known birds. +It is not likely to have been a tortoise or a lizard. The kangaroo has +four feet, and uses only two in progression, moving forward by leaps; +also, like the Otozoum, it has four toes; but the size of the toes +does not accord with that of the Otozoum, nor is the structure of the +foot the same, so far as we know. It has been suggested by Professor +Agassiz, that this animal might have been a two-footed frog. Nature +had, in those days, animal forms different from those we are +acquainted with; and this might have been the fact with the Otozoum. + + * * * * * + + GROUP SIXTH. + +We have in this group a specimen of the track of a four-footed animal, +which may have been a frog, though different from ours. The feet are +unequal in size, and present a different number of toes. In existing +frogs there are four toes in the fore feet, and five in the hind; but, +in the specimen before us, the front toes are five in number, and the +back toes three. It is called, therefore, ANOMOEPUS, _unequal-footed_. +These impressions are in the red shale of Hadley, and very distinct. +In some of them the lower leg is indicated, forming an impression six +or seven inches long. The feet being smaller than the legs, the +impression made by the latter is more expanded, superficial, and +broader, yet still very definite. The opinion of President Hitchcock +and Dr. Deane is, that the different impressions of five and three +toes are those of the anterior and posterior extremities of one animal, +which, from the size of the limbs, might be a frog three feet high. + +On the same schist with these footmarks, are other curious +impressions. The back of the slab is almost covered with the imprints +of rain-drops. In the midst of these is a tridactylous impression, +probably of a quadruped, crossed at its root by a single depression, +nearly an inch broad, and two and a half long: this seems to form part +of another broad superficial impression of about seven by four inches, +which is probably also quadrupedal. Other parts present the +impressions of nails and worm-tracks. At the opposite end is a deep, +smooth, regular excavation, which might have been made by a Medusa. + + * * * * * + + GROUP SEVENTH. + +The seventh group contains the impressions of the feet of Saurians or +lizards. We have a specimen of quadrupedal marks, with five toes to +each foot, about an inch long, which may have been made by these +animals. The impressions are small, but very distinct. There are +lizards of the present day with five toes, about the size of these +impressions; and these may, therefore, be set down as belonging to +this order of reptiles. Like a number of the last-named specimens, +they are in red shale. + + * * * * * + + GROUP EIGHTH. + +The eighth group is assigned by President Hitchcock to the Chelonian +or turtle tribe. The slab bearing impressions of Brontozoum +Gracillimum has a mark about fourteen inches long and two wide, which +may be attributed to the plastron or breast-plate of the tortoise. On +the slab from Turner's Falls there is a longitudinal furrow, which +might have been made by the tail of a turtle; and in various of our +slabs are impressions which we think belong to this tribe. We shall +have occasion to notice hereafter remarkable tracks of these animals +in the old red of Morayshire, in Scotland. + +The most distinct of the traces of chelonians are on the large slab +lately obtained for me by President Hitchcock from Greenfield. (_Vide_ +Plate.) This interesting slab contains the traces of quadrupeds, +various birds, and two trails of chelonians: the largest of these is +nearly five feet long, and four inches in diameter. The trail is +composed of a number of parallel elevations, comparatively +superficial. + + * * * * * + + GROUP NINTH. + +Of the ninth group, containing the marks of Annelidae, Crustacea, and +Zoophytes, we have various specimens. + +The impressions of insects do not seem as yet to have been +distinguished on the ancient rocks. There is reason to believe, +however, that many of the marks we discover in the rocky beds might +have been made by the feet and bodies of large insects; and small +species of the same tribes have been found imbedded in, and actually +constituting, immense masses of calcareous and siliceous rocks. + +The tracks of worms are numerous. No doubt these worms drew together a +concourse of birds to the shores on which they rolled. On various +slabs we find long cylindrical furrows, about the eighth of an inch in +diameter, and of different lengths; one of them, in the slab from Dr. +Deane, being eight or nine inches long. To these impressions the name +of HERPYSTEZOUM, from _herpystes_, _crawling_, has been given. They +vary, however, and some of them are very likely to be the tracks of +the common earth-worm, or of some species of worm which existed when +these rocks were formed. These impressions vary in length and in +diameter; some of them are moderately regular, and others irregularly +curved. + +Very interesting tracks have been found in the ancient Potsdam white +sandstone of Beauharnais, on the St. Lawrence, by Mr. Logan, an +excellent geologist of Canada, and determined by Professor Owen to +belong to Crustacea, crabs. The number of impressions made by each +foot is sometimes seven, sometimes eight, and even more. This track, +showing the traces of Crustacea, goes to form another link in the +chain of fossil footsteps. + +The Medusae, commonly called jelly-fish, dissolving as they do under +the influence of the sun and air, would hardly be expected to leave +their traces impressed on ancient rocks. Professor D'Orbigny, however, +has watched the dissolution of these animals on the sea-shore, and +found that, after wasting, they may leave their impressions on the +sand; which, not being disturbed by a high tide for nearly a month, +retains the impression of the zoophyte, and serves as a mould to +receive materials which take a cast and transmit it to subsequent +ages. We find one of these impressions on the slab of the Anomoepus +Scambus; and President Hitchcock, having examined it, is of opinion +that it retains the traces of a Medusa. The impression is about five +inches in diameter, of a darker color and smoother texture than the +rest of the rock. Its edges fade away gradually in the surface of the +subjacent sandstone. A similar impression is found on the superior +surface of the slab containing the Argozoum. + + * * * * * + + GROUP TENTH. + +The tenth group contains the HARPAGOPUS, a name derived from +_harpage_, _seizure_, _rapine_. It is represented by President +Hitchcock as having the form of a drag. The figure given by him +resembles in a degree the foot of the African ostrich; being a long +thick toe, with a shorter one, not unlike a thumb, on the side. An +impression approximating this, but of small size, may be seen on the +slab of the Anomoepus Scambus. + + * * * * * + +The formation of bird-tracks is well represented by a clay specimen, +about an inch thick, and ten inches long. This is a piece of dried +clay, obtained by President Hitchcock from the banks of the +Connecticut, and produced by washings from clay on the shore above, +covered with foot-impressions of a small tridactylous bird, and dried +in the sun. This piece shows, in a way not to be questioned, the +manner in which the ancient vestiges were produced. Sir Charles Lyell +noticed a similar fact on the banks of the Bay of Fundy. + + + + + ORGANIC IMPRESSIONS. + + +The _second_ great division of fossil impressions is called ORGANIC, +meaning impressions made by organized bodies; the bones of animals, +fishes, and vegetables. + +Near one extremity of the slab of the Ornithopus Gallinaceus is an +elevation, about a foot long, and between one and two inches wide, +projecting from the surface nearly half an inch. It has the appearance +of a round bar of iron imbedded in the rock, which is clayey +sandstone. This apparent bar of iron was probably a bone, buried in +the stone, now silicified and impregnated with iron; the animal matter +having entirely disappeared. In the slab of the Brontozoum Sillimanium +is a projection about seven or eight inches long, and half an inch +wide; probably the bone of an animal, perhaps a clavicle of the +Brontozoum Giganteum. + +The vestiges of fishes are very numerous in the sandstone rocks of +Connecticut River. We have not less than two dozen specimens from this +locality; a number equal to all the other specimens in our collection. +These impressions of fishes are generally from three to six inches +long, and three or four inches wide. They are of the grand division +denominated by Professor Agassiz "heterocercal," having their tails +unequally bilobed, from the partial prolongation of the dorsal spine; +and they are considered to be of lower antiquity than the fishes which +are entirely heterocercal. The most remarkable of the fish-specimens +in our collection is a CEPHALASPIS (?): this fish is found in the +specimen containing tracks of the Brontozoum Gracillimum, and traces +of a turtle or tortoise. This fossil was discovered in the upper layer +of the old red sandstone of Scotland, and had been mistaken by some +for a trilobite: to us it appeared to be a Limulus, but further +observation leads us to believe it to be a _Cephalaspis_. It exhibits +a convex disc, four inches across, by two inches from above downwards, +and a tail at right angles with the disc, the uncovered part of which +is three inches long. The animal has been described by Professor +Agassiz as being composed of a strong buckler, with a pointed horn at +either termination of the crescent, and an angular tail. + +To the vegetable impressions discovered among the sandstone rocks a +peculiar name has not yet been assigned. When, however, we consider +the strong probability that many impressions of stalks, leaves, +fruits, and other parts of vegetables, may be hereafter discovered in +these rocks, it will be found convenient to have a distinctive +denomination. Vast numbers of vegetable impressions of a distinct and +beautiful appearance, and in great variety, have been found in the +coal-formation, which is nearly allied to the sandstone: such are the +Sigillaria, Stigmaria, Equisetaceae, Lycopodiaceae, Coniferae, Cycadeae, +&c. It is sufficient to say that the number of these has been already +swelled to many hundreds: we must also believe, that some of the +impressions in sandstone rocks which have been assigned to other +substances ought to be attributed to vegetables. We may, therefore, +venture to call the vegetable impressions "phytological." + +A number of our slabs bear impressions of vegetables; either twigs of +trees, or spires of plants. In a fragment broken from one of the toes +of the Brontozoum Giganteum, we see a cylindrical depression, three +inches long, and half an inch in diameter, marked by transverse lines, +about the sixth of an inch apart, and presenting an unquestionable +appearance of a fragment of a twig of an ancient vegetable, which had +been trodden under the foot of the mighty Brontozoum. On the reversed +surface of the same slab are found impressions, which were produced by +a number of fragments of sticks, five or six inches long, lying at +right angles, or nearly so. One of these sticks has been broken, and +its pieces are slightly displaced from each other. Various other +specimens contain the marks of sticks, or twigs of trees. The striae, +so distinctly discernable in a number of these portions, having been +compared with twigs of the existing coniferae (?), were found to +resemble them. Some of these sticks show the appearance of incipient +carbonization; yet the rock is sandstone, presenting, as already +mentioned, distinct appearances of quartz, and other substances of +which the arenaceous rocks are composed. + + + + + PHYSICAL IMPRESSIONS. + + +The _third_ great division of impressions in the sandstone rocks is +called PHYSICAL, meaning those made by inanimate and unorganized +substances; such are rain-drops, ripple-marks, and coprolites. + +1. Marks of rain-drops, described on page 20, appear to be quite +common. We have two or three specimens in relief, and as many in +depression. They occur as follows: 1st, on the upper surface of the +slab first described; 2d, on that of the Platypterna; 3d, on that of +the AEthyopus Lyellianus; 4th, on that of the Brontozoum Gracillimum; +5th, on that of the AEthyopus Minor; 6th, on that of the Anomoepus +Scambus; 7th, on the recent clay; also in one small hand-specimen, and +in a second containing two fishes. They show that, in those ancient +periods when the Brontozoum Giganteum and the Otozoum resided in these +parts, showers were frequent, and probably abundant for the supply of +the wants and the gratification of the appetites of these animals, +then common, but which now appear to us so extraordinary. + +2. Ripple-marks are seen in a number of these pieces; for example, on +the slab first described, on the Brontozoum Sillimanium slab, on the +Brontozoum Gracillimum slab, on one of the Triaenopus, and on the upper +surface of the Greenfield slab. These marks are represented by +parallel curves, or straight lines, distant from each other from half +an inch to an inch, and presenting a slight degree of prominence. +There is another form of ripple-marks(?), differing from those above +described. These are of a circular and mammillary form: they are +strewed thickly, like little islets, approximating to each other. They +are seen distinctly on one of the slabs of the Brontozoum Sillimanium, +on that of the AEthyopus Lyellianus, and some others. Whether they are +to be considered as accumulations of sand and clay, formed by the +action of the sea, we are uncertain; but there seems to be no other +cause to which they can be assigned with so great probability. + +3. _Coprolites_, the fossilized ejections of animals, are intermixed +with other animal vestiges in the sandstone of Connecticut River, and +afford additional proof of the former existence of animals about these +rocks. + + * * * * * + +The latest accounts of fossil footprints we have had occasion to +notice are those of the Crustacea, already mentioned, as found in +Canada, and of the Chelonian in Scotland. The Canadian impressions, +called by Professor Owen Protichnites, were discovered in the year +1847, and were laid before the London Geological Society in 1851. The +most remarkable circumstance about them was their existence, as +already stated, in a white sandstone, near the banks of the River St. +Lawrence, at Beauharnais. This sandstone, which has been described by +New York geologists under the name of Potsdam, is thought to belong to +the Silurian system, and to have a higher antiquity than even the "old +red." + +The Scotch footsteps are situated in the old red sandstone, and are +those of a Chelonian. So that we have now two series of tracks, the +Crustacea in Canada and the Chelonian in Scotland, of higher antiquity +than any which had been previously discovered. + + * * * * * + +On a review of the labors of President Hitchcock, we are struck with +admiration at the immense details that, in the midst of arduous +official and literary duties, he has been able to go through with in +the period since the foot-tracks were discovered on Connecticut River. +Although his labors should be modified by succeeding observers, +Science must be ever grateful to him for laying the foundation, and +doing so much for the completion, of a work so great, novel, and +interesting. + +This inquiry seems to us to promise a rich variety; and we hope that +President Hitchcock and other observers will continue to explore and +cultivate it with undiminished zeal. + + + + + DESCRIPTION OF THE PLATE. + + +We are indebted to Photography for enabling us to represent the +remarkable slab from Greenfield, and its numerous objects, in a small +space, yet with perfect accuracy. This slab is four feet seven and +one-half inches in one direction, and four feet one inch transversely +to this; in thickness it measures about an inch. It is composed of +gray sandstone, in which the micaceous element is conspicuous, and +contains many interesting impressions on both surfaces. + +The most interesting surface is the inferior; and the objects are, of +course, presented in relief. They are, first, two Chelonian tracks; +second, four sets of bird-tracks; third, footsteps of an unknown +animal. The _Chelonian tracks_ are two in number: the longest measures +four feet ten inches; the shorter, two feet nine inches. Both of these +impressions are made apparently by the plastron of the turtle. They +are from four to eight inches in width, and composed of elevated +striae. These striae are formed by raised lines, pursuing a course +generally regular, but accompanied with some inflections: they are, as +the plate represents, very distinct. The shorter track appeared to me +to be crossed by another; but the photographic impression, though only +a few inches long, enabled me to ascertain that this appearance was +produced by bird-tracks above and below. + +The _bird-tracks_ are all tridactylous. The first set lies above and +to the right of the shorter turtle-track, and is composed of only two +steps, proceeding in the course of the plate downwards. The second set +of bird-tracks has five impressions, extending from the right superior +pointed angle of the slab across the small turtle-track to the larger, +in which it is lost. The third set of bird-tracks begins by an +impression larger than any other on the piece at the left extremity of +the longer turtle-track; and the remainder, three in number, +descending towards the right, are the least distinct of any. The +fourth set of bird-tracks begins below the longer turtle-track, and +ascends by four impressions, crossing the track till it meets the +first. + +The most curious track, consisting of six digitated impressions, still +remains. The first is seen on the left of the longer turtle-track, +near the largest bird-track; the second is on the track; the third is +above the track; the others cross the slab by fainter impressions. +Each of them is composed by two feet, and each foot contains four +toes, which are seen more distinctly in some impressions than in +others. The largest of these double tracks is about three inches in +diameter. Perhaps it would be useless to speculate upon what kind of +animal they were made by. There is a similarity between these and the +tracks of the Anomoepus Scambus, spoken of in the sixth group. In the +latter, however, the toes are five and three. Some experienced persons +think they are tracks of the mink, Mustela Lutreola, an animal common +at the present day in these parts. This has five toes; but it may be +in this as in some other digitigrades, that one of the toes in each +foot does not make an impression; or perhaps it is safer to believe, +till further investigation is made, that it was an animal of a +construction not now existing. + +The direction of these tracks presents a puzzle we are not able to +unravel; it exhibits the impressions of four toes, and we have +supposed it might possess five. In either of these cases, we have no +right to consider it a bird-track, but probably a reptile or a mammal. +Admitting this to be the fact, we are unable to account for the +direction of the steps, which is not alternate, as in the quadruped, +but in straight lines. In other words, this animal, supposed to have +four legs, gives us the impressions of two only, and both of these +placed together. + +When the tridactylous tracks are attentively considered, compared with +each other, and with the digitated tracks, they appear to exhibit the +character of the impressions of the feet of birds so very decidedly, +that it would require something more than a philosophic incredulity to +question their ornithic origin. + +The other side of this slab contains interesting impressions. In the +first place, this surface is covered with ripple-marks, each about two +inches broad, extending with various degrees of distinctness across +the slab, and having an interval of an inch. The width of the ridges +is greater than in any of the specimens we have seen. + +This surface is almost covered by rain-drops. It has also, among other +impressions, one which has been drawn by Mr. Silsbee, our +photographist, and represented by the figure below of its proper size. +This figure, nearly four and a half inches in length, is an exact +resemblance in form, but not in size, of the great Otozoum, as +depicted by President Hitchcock, and shown by the actual impression, +in our hands, of the great foot, twenty inches long, and of +proportionate breadth. The form of the heel, or posterior part of the +foot, is the same in the two figures; the toes are equal in both, viz. +four in number; the two internal toes correspond in their +articulations, and the two external are nearly alike, with a little +allowance for a different amount of adipose texture. Whether this was +the impression of an infant Otozoum, I pretend not to determine: the +drawing was taken by a gentleman who knew nothing of the Otozoum. +There are similar impressions, smaller than that last described, on +the same surface. + +The stone, though now very hard and intractable, having resisted all +the chemical agents we could employ, must have remained in a soft +state for some time; for the impressions of the foot shown below +penetrate to the opposite surface. + + [Illustration: Fossil foot impression] + +In this description we have not attempted to point out all the objects +worthy of interest on both sides of this curious slab. Every part +of it is full of interest, and presents a field for protracted +observations. The surface represented in the plate may, by the aid of +a magnifier, be studied without the presence of the stone itself; for +the photographic art displays the most minute objects without +alteration or omission. + + + + + * * * * * + + + Transcriber's Notes. + +With the exception of several presumed typographical error which have +been changed as noted below, the text presented is that shown in the +original printed version. The original text included Greek characters. +For this text version these letters have been replaced with +transliterations. Also, the 'AE' and 'ae' ligatures are included (for +examples, AEthyopus and striae); but the 'oe' ligatures (for example, +Anomoepus) are shown as 'oe' for readability as the ligature character +is not present in many fonts. + +Typographical Errors: + + "Alleghanies" => "Alleghenies" (Pg. 18) + "Mastodon Giganteus." => "Mastodon Giganteus," (Pg. 25) + +Emphasis Notation: + + _text_ - italicized + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Remarks on some fossil impressions in +the sandstone rocks of Connecticut River, by John Collins Warren + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FOSSIL IMPRESSIONS--CONNECTICUT RIVER *** + +***** This file should be named 34056.txt or 34056.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/4/0/5/34056/ + +Produced by Tom Cosmas and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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