Letter: Early steps north of the border

Sir: You report ("Dinosaur prints found in Scotland", 27 January) that these were the first such footprints found north of the border. In the Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, it was reported that Dr Henry Duncan (1774-1846), the founder of the Savings Bank movement, discovered quadruped footprints in the red sandstone at Corncocklemuir, near Lochmaben. Duncan's discovery was the subject of correspondence between many prominent geologists of the day, such as William Buckland and Adam Sedgwick. I understand that samples were cut from the site and delivered to Oxford University. Perhaps they are still there.

Yours sincerely,

Mike Mitchell

Manchester