Evening star., 1924-12-07
STONES Of OTHER
AGES COMING HERE
Rocks for National Museum
Contain Footprints Gen.
turtles Old.

a ton of rocks that were deposited
in what is now the Grand Canyon of
the Colorado back in the carbonifer-
Gus period of the Paleozoic age, COW
cred with the footprints of long-ex-
tinct animals that blazed a trail
there while those rocks were still a
damp sand, is en- route to Washing
ton for permanent exhibition in the
National Museum.
At the same time about 800 square
feet Of the path which was made mil
lions of years ago has been uncov-
cred along the famous Hermit Trail
of the Grand Canyon National Park,
to remain as a permanent paleonto-
logical exhibit beside the man made
path over which thousands of tour
lists pass every year.
The footprints, which were first
discovered by Prof. Charles Schubert
of Yale University, were uncovered
by Charles w. Gilmore. curator OF
vertebrate paleontology of the Ma
tional Museum. Mr.. Gilmore has just
returned from the Grand Canyon,
where ne spent a month examining
the unusual evidence of prehistoric
animal life on this continent and d.
recting the work of preserving them
for the future.
No less than eight different species
of animal life have already been dis
tinguished in the tracks. They were
made by creatures varying in size
from a small cat to those that may
have been as large as, or larger than' a
big lion. critical study will be
made of the specimens that are on
their way to Washington in an at.
tempt to determine the species OF
those earliest trail blazers.
Atpresent the animals are regarded
as having been amphiblous. Inc
trails of crustaceans, or crabllke
animals with dragon tails, have been
recognized by Mr.. Gilmore. Not only
are the toe prints left in the sand
stone, but also the impressions OF
the creatures spiked tails as they
were dragged over what was In mat
ancient period nothing but wet SAND.
The creatures were four-legged, and
some had four toes, while others nad
five.
Indicated Migration.
"Myriads of these impressions,
said Mr.. Gilmore, were lounu dioiis
the Hermit Trail, and, curiously
enough, all were going In the same
direction-that is, up the steep slope
of the sandstone layer. So numer-
Gus are the tracks that 1T suggested
an old trail over which all OF the
animals of that period thereabouts
had travelled 1t may be that these
ancient trails record great mlgra-
ton of animal life, such as is known
70 occasionally occur among animals
of the present time.
For millions of years the tracks
had lain covered under the debris OF
later centuries until erosion hnally
uncovered them to man OF today
The trail once extended straight
across what is now the canyon, for
in the day those little feet pressed
into the carboniferous sand there was
no canyon there at all. Up the steep
banks of the sandstone 1t continues
until. Mr.. Gilmore said, it finally dis
appears beneath the great cliffs along
the Hermit Trail.
In teaching lesson as to the
great antiquity of the animal life that
once inhabited this old world or
ours" Mr.. Gilmore continued, this
forms a most unique exhibit, and 1T is
hoped that as an example Ut Will
stimulate the preparation and preser-
walton Of other out-of-door exhibl-
tfons of natural phenomena which
are to be found in our Government
controlled parks and reservations.