423 



reiudeer continue at the present day, but only in high northern 

 latitudes. 



Mr. Boyd Dawkins, so well known for his palaeontological 

 researches, introduces us to yet auother large mammal, formerly 

 an inhabitant of Britain, the fossil lion, Felis speloea, probably 

 identical with the existing lion still abounding in Africa, and in 

 times previous to the Christian era found also in Europe. This 

 carnivore was not merely an inhabitant of this part of England, 

 but it seems to have been plentiful. Mr. Boyd Dawkins even con- 

 siders West Somerset to have been its " Metropolis." He says it 

 was in the greatest abundance in the western half of the Mendips 

 — from Wells to Weston-super-Mare, where were also the " feed- 

 ing grounds of incalculable numbers of reindeer, bison, horse, and 

 tichorine rhinoceros," on which it preyed. In another place he 

 says — " There is evidence that a larger number of lions, bears, and 

 hyaenas dwelt in this neighbourhood than have been proved to have 

 lived in a similar area at any time in the past history of 

 the eartL"* 



Could we for a moment gaze upon the scene that must have pre- 

 sented itself in those days, when huge mammoths and other wild 

 beasts roamed over the hills and valleys surrounding this fair city 

 — now given up to man and his works — how astonished we should 

 be. But even coming down to within a few hundred years of our 

 own time — a short period to look back upon, and but as yesterday, 

 compared with the ages that have elapsed since the days of the 

 mammoth and the lion of Somerset, during the whole of which 

 period changes upon changes were following in slow succession — 

 what a novel sight would open upon us. Fitz-Stephen, who wrote 

 in the 12th century, tells us — "that the vast forest that in his 

 time grew on the north side of London was the retreat of stags 

 fallow-deer, wild boars, and bulls, "t Contrast this picture with 

 the modern north of London. Where have all these beasts gone 

 to, along with others that might be mentioned — the bear, the 

 beaver, and the wolf — which equally existed in this country not 

 long before, some till long after, the time of that author ? They 

 have, one by one, silently dropped off. The bear is stated by 



• See a paper on " The Britiah Lion" in Pop. Sci. Rev., No. 31, p. 150. 

 t Penn. Brit. Zool., 4tli Edit., vol. i., p. 58. 



