The evening times., 1895-11-22

A. wanner Of New YORK found fossil aIgss
and footprints.
Recently the writer, after an examina.
ton OF many quarries has been so fortunate
as to find. at one point in Maryland also.
large suDber Of fossil reptilisn foot.
prints OF the three -toed type.
DIscOvERYOF FOOTPRINTS.
THE quarry referred to b about one
fourth OF mile north Of EmmitsburE,
Frederick county. The place at which ths
footprints were discovered IL about eigh.
teen feet from the edge Of the hill which
iianks the banks Of Flat Run, q small
stream running by the quarry. The beds
10 which the tracks occur are Of firm
line grained shaly sandstone OF q duIi
greeDish hue, and covered with sun cracku
Tue DIP OF the strata Is about % degrees
northwest, which 10 somewhat greater
than that usually found In the deuosits
OF this system, but accounted for in an
probability by Its proximity to the mount
ain ranges.
After thorough examination of an
tue horizons In the quarry the writer
found that there were but two beds which
showed fossil tracks. These footprints are
threc-toed. and vary from two and one
half to three and one half inches in length.
The footprints on all the slabs obtained are
OF the same kind, except that on one slab
there are found two single Impressions
which differ entirely from the others.
One OF these appears to be that of a three
toed webbed foot and the other Is q
small three-tsed marking measuring bot
one inch In length, On all the slabs We
ind corresponding distances between sin.
gle footprints, and turning out of tho
toes TO either right or left alternately
The average distance Of stride is about
twelve inches. The difference ranges oa
either side Of this between one and tVo
inches.
"On the slabs figured only the more Dis
tinct footprints are given. and at the same
time only those belonging to clearly de-
fined series. There are many fainter mark
ings In every direction, which have been
admitted, while in a few cases two OF
more impressions have been made in the
same place. At times also mud cracks cut
through the footprints, portions being left
on either side Of the line. There are neither
body nor tail lines apparent, such as Hitch.
cock found in the Connecticut River VAL
ley.
THE forms are undoubtedly reptilian
and belong to the group of the dinosaun-"
MARKS MILLIONS OF YEARS OLD.
In his Investigations In Western Mary
land DR.. Mitchell examined nearly thirty
quarries. After he made his discovery
Ire went to Nova Scotia and tracked out
the footprints there, following them into
the Connecticut River Valley. He then
visited Yale, Harvard, Amherst and other
colleges for a verification of bis work. He
saw some slabs of stone. On which even the
marks of raindrops were perceptible.
From their position, the direction of the
wind could be told.
Dr. Mitchell has observed closely the
Newark system, so called because IT was
developed around Newark, N. ]. While in
England and Germany he studied red sand
stones especially. In this country portions
OF the formation branch out to the reddish
brown stone used In building dwellings.
Red stone proper is used for Tagging. 1t 10
said to be too skaly for building purposes.
DR.. Mitchell says the footprints discov.
cred by him prove beyond doubt the
places where these red sandstones were
found were at one time the banks of an es-
tuary of the sea where the reptiles went
for food. The tide came In and swept the
sand over the marks So on for ages. layer
after layer was washed over the spot The
footprints mark millions of years In age OF
the world DR.. Mitcheil's paper has been
embodied IN The publications of the Johns
Hopkins University. His discovery esiab-
fishes the connection between the Newark
system in Pennsylvania and that in the
Sautharn