Geological Society. 297 



doubt Pliny has indicated the two genera Murex and Purpura of the 

 moderns by the names Purpura and Buccinum. It is probable that 

 Murex trunculus and brandaris, and Purpura h<2mastoma> were 

 employed by the dyers ; but it would be difficult to identify the dif- 

 ferent species indicated by Pliny. Zoological investigations, accom- 

 panied by experiments which are all simply and easily made, would 

 perhaps lead to results more definite than can be obtained by the in- 

 terpretation of passages, if one could carry them out on the shores of 

 countries formerly famous for their purple— those of Tyre for example. 



GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 

 June 13, 1860. — L. Horner, Esq., President, in the Chair. 



" On the Ossiferous Caves of the Peninsula of Gower, in Gla- 

 morganshire, South Wales." By H. Falconer, M.D., F.R.S., F.G.S. 

 With an Appendix, on a Raised Beach in Mewslade Bay, and on 

 the occurrence of the Boulder-clay on Cefn-y-bryn ; by J. Prestwich, 

 Esq., F.R.S., Treas.G.S. 



The object of this communication was to give a summary of re- 

 searches made during the last three years by the author and Lieut.- 

 Col. E. R. Wood, F.G.S., the latter of whom has carefully explored 

 at his own charge, since 1848, some of the caves previously known, 

 as well as several discovered by himself. The known bone-caves of 

 Gower (of which Paviland, Spritsail Tor, and Bacon Hole have 

 already supplied Dr. Buckland and others to some extent with ma- 

 terials for the history of the Cave-period) are in the Carboniferous 

 Limestone ; and, with the exception of that of Spritsail Tor, which 

 is on the west coast of the peninsula, they all occur between the 

 Mumbles and the Worm's Head. The most important are ft Bacon 

 Hole," "Minchin Hole," "Bosco's Den," "Bowen's Parlour," 

 "Crow Hole" "Raven's Cliff Cavern," and lastly the well-known 

 "Paviland Cave." Bone-caves formerly existed at the Mumbles, 

 in Caswell Bay, and in Oxwich Bay; but the sea has destroyed 

 them. One cavern named " Ram Tor " between Caswell Bay and 

 the Mumbles, presumed to be ossiferous, remains unexplored. 



Before proceeding to describe the bone- caves and their contents, 

 the author briefly noticed a raised beach and talus of breccia, which 

 Mr. Prestwich had lately traced for a mile along Mewslade Bay, 

 westward of Paviland ; and he pointed out their important relation- 

 ship to the marine sands and overlying limestone-breccia found in 

 several of the Gower Caves. Dr. Falconer also referred to Mr. 

 Prestwich's recent discovery of some patches of Boulder-clay on the 

 highland of Gower, and in Rhos Sili Bay. 



" Bacon Hole " was first treated of. It has been worked out by 

 Colonel Wood, and described by Mr. Starling Benson. On the 

 limestone-floor of the cave are : — (1) a few inches of marine sand, 

 abounding with Litorina rudis, L. litoralis, and Clausilia nigricans, 

 with bones of an Arvicola and Birds ; (2) a thin layer of stalagmite ; 

 (3) two feet or less of blackish sand, containing a mass of bones of 

 Elephas antiquus, with remains of Meles taxus and Putorius (vul- 



Ann.ty Mag. N. Hist. Ser. 3. Vol. vi. 20 



