38 PAPERS, ETC. 



discovery is mainly (lue to mining Operations, carried on in 

 a rüde and simple manner on the surface of the hüls. Any 

 one who would visit the old " oclire" pits on the hill above 

 Hutton, and notice how the excavations expose fissures in 

 the solid rock beneath, will readily understand how that 

 these appearances would give rise to further investigation. 

 The search for the lapis calaminaris, a mineral at one time 

 in great demand — a carbonate of zinc, nsed in the manu- 

 facture of brass — likewise helped, but only as by accident, 

 to the discovery of these bone caverns. Happily for the 

 cause of science, there were two men living in the neigh- 

 bourhood who did not fail to profit by the discovery, and 

 carefully collected together and preserved the remains 

 which these caverns contained. The perseverance and 

 enthusiasm of Mr. Board, and the science and energy of 

 the late Rev. D. Williams, of Bleadon, have preserved to 

 us these interesting relics of the past, opening to us another 

 page in the great Book of Nature on which are recorded 

 the works and ways of the Most High. 



Another curious and interesting feature, and one which 

 may be of great Service in determining the various forms 

 of animal life that prevailed during successive periods, pre- 

 sents itself in the fact communicated to me by Mr. Beard, 

 as the result of bis observations ; — that each of the Mendip 

 bone caverns has its own peculiar and characteristic set of 

 remains. Thus : — 



Banwell contains bear, wolf, deer, buffalo. 



Uphill „ hyama, deer, horse. 



Hutton „ hyama, wolf, tiger, elephant, horse. 



Bleadon „ tiger, bear, wolf, fox, elephant, ox, 



deer, horse. 



Sandford Hill tiger, hyama, wolf, rhinoceros, ox, 



deer, boar, horse. 



Burrington „ the bear and fox. 



