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HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



a distance of about four yards from the edge of the 

 dyke. The fossils seem to indicate that the deposit 

 belongs to the upper part of the Arenig group. Mr. 

 Hicks pointed out that the fauna clearly showed 

 that these beds belong to the Arenig group, many 

 of the species being identical with those found in 

 the upper part of that group at St. David's Shelve, 

 and in Cumberland. The new species found by 

 Mr. Marr are a Canjocaris (C. Man-is) and an 

 fflglina {/E. Hughesii). The other fossils 'were 

 Didymograptus indent us, D. bifidus, D. Murchisonii, 

 and the var. furcillatus. The rock in its general 

 character is extremely like that at the same horizon 

 in the succession at St. David's Shelve, and in 

 Cumberland, and indicates, therefore, the preva- 

 lence of similar physical conditions when deposited. 

 The rock is such as would be formed over au even 

 sea-bottom at some considerable distance from land 

 and in moderately deep water. Mr. Hicks looked 

 upon this discovery as of considerable importance, 

 since it clearly proved the position of beds hitherto 

 imperfectly known, and moreover shows that similar 

 conditions prevailed over extensive areas at the 

 time these^beds were deposited. It also furnished 

 further evidence in support of Mr. Hicks's opinion 

 that no break occurs anywhere in the Welsh area 

 between the Cambrian and Lower Silurian rocks. 



The Bone-caves of Greswell Ckags. — This 

 was the title of another paper read before the Geo- 

 logical Society, by the Rev. J. M. Mello, M.A., 

 E.G.S. The author gives an account of the con- 

 tinuation of his researches upon the contents of the 

 caves in Creswell Crags, Derbyshire. The further 

 exploration of the Pin Hole cave described in his 

 former paper, furnishes a few bones of reindeer, 

 Rhinoceros tichorhinus, and other animals, but no 

 more remains of the Arctic fox, which were par- 

 ticularly sought for. Operations in this cave were 

 stopped because the red sand in which the bones 

 were found towards the entrance, became filled with 

 limestone fragments, and almost barren of organic 

 remains. The author then commenced the examina- 

 tion of a chambered cave called Robin Hood's Cave, 

 situated a little lower down the ravine on the same 

 side. The section of the contents of this cave 

 showed a small thickness of dark surface-soil, con- 

 taining fragments of Roman and mediaeval pottery, 

 a human incisor, and bones of sheep and other 

 recent animals ; over a considerable portion a hard 

 limestone breccia, varying in thickness from a kw 

 inches to about 3 feet ; beneath this a deposit of 

 light-coloured cave-earth, varying in thickness 

 inversely to the breccia, overlying a dark red sand 

 about 3 feet thick, like lhat of the Pin Hole, but 

 with patches of laminated red clay near the base, 

 and containing scattered nodules of black oxide of 

 manganese, and some quartzite and other pebbles, 

 which rested upon a bed of lighter-coloured sands 



J containing blocks of limestone, probably forming 

 I part of the original floor of the cavern. The hard 

 j stalagmitic breccia contained a great many bones, 

 : chiefly of small animals, but with some of reindeer, 

 and teeth of Rhinoceros tichorhinus, hyama, horse, 

 water-vole, and numerous flint flakes and chips, and 

 a few cores. Some of the flakes were of superior 

 workmanship. A few quartzite implements were 

 also found in the breccia. The cave-earth contained 

 a few flint implements, but most of the human 

 relics found in it were of quartzite, and of decidedly 

 palaeolithic aspect. There was also an implement 

 of claj-ironstoue. The animal remains chiefly found 

 in the cave-earth were teeth of horse, Rhinoceros 

 tichorhinus, and hyaena, and fragments of both jaws 

 of the last-mentioned animal. Bones and teeth of 

 reindeer, and teeth of cave-lion and bear also oc- 

 curred. The red sand underlying the cave-earth 

 contained but few bones, except in one place, where 

 antlers and bones of reindeer aud bones of bison 

 and hyaena occurred. At another part a small molar 

 of Elephas primigenius was found. A large pro- 

 portion of the bones had been gnawed by hyaenas, 

 to whose agency the author ascribed the presence 

 of most of the animal remains found ; but he re- 

 marked that no coprolites of hyaenas had been met 

 with. The following is a list of the animals whose 

 remains occurred in this cavern : — Felis leo (var. 

 spelcea), Hyccna crocutu (var. spelata), Ursus arctos, 

 U. ferox, Cards familiar is, C. lupus, C. vulpes, Ele- 

 phas primigenius, Equus caballus, Rhinoceros ticho- 

 rhinus, Bos bison, var. priscus, Bos longifrons, Gapra 

 hircus, Sus scrofa, domesticus, and ferox, Cervus 

 megaceros, C. tarandus, Arvicola amphibius, and 

 Lepus timidus. Professor Dawkins afterwards read 

 some notes on the Mammalia and Traces of Man 

 found in the Robin Hood Cave, and noticed the 

 various species of animals discovered by Mr. Mello, 

 and drew certain conclusions, from their mode of 

 occurrence, as to the history of Robin Hood's Cave. 

 He considered that the cave was occupied by 

 hyaenas during the formation of the lowest and 

 middle deposits, and that the great majority of the 

 other animals whose remains occur in the cave were 

 dragged into it by the hyaenas. That tney served 

 as food for the latter is shown by the condition of 

 mauy of the bones. During this period the red sand 

 and clay of the lowest stratum was deposited by 

 occasional floods. The red loam or cave-earth 

 forming the middle stratum was probably intro- 

 duced during heavy rains. The occupation of the 

 cave by hyaenas still continued, but it was disturbed 

 by the visits of the Palaeolithic hunters. The 

 remains found in the breccia indicate that the cave 

 was inhabited by man, and less frequently visited 

 by hyaenas than before. The presence of vertebrae 

 of the hare in the breccia would imply that the 

 hunters who occupied the cave had not the dog as 

 a domestic animal. After a discussion of the rela- 



