I would have said "A brown substance was on the walkway, so I pulled out my trusty microscrope, got down on all fours, and examined the substance. After a thorough investigation, I determined that the brown, matted, and smelly substance, was poop from an animal species. I cannot identify the exact species, however, based on the specific nature of the smell of the substance, I suspect that the subscance was left on the sidewalk by a three year old, golden brown, male, cocker spaniel."
When you learn, teach, when you get, give. Maya Angelou