1864. | 
are constantly addressed to the 
Academy, has protested against 
this conclusion. For, says he, the 
more convincing the demonstration 
of the existence of the reindeer 
becomes, precisely in the same de- 
gree is the insufficiency declared of 
the supposed proofs of the long- 
past coexistence of man and the 
elephant (E. primigenius). 
The learned and_ well-known 
French geologist cannot admit this 
contemporary existence, despite the 
facts and the proofs which seem to 
be accumulating both in number 
and weight. M.de Vibray, whose 
opinion is above suspicion, since, 
as he says himself, he had at first 
been a sceptic, has also just brought 
forward some proofs, having felt 
himself obliged to yield to the evi- 
dence adduced. M. de Lastic has 
discovered in the grotto of Bruni- 
quel (Aveyrou) a prodigious quan- 
tity of bones of the reindeer, of the 
horse, &c., mingled with human 
bones, and with objects carved in 
the form of arrows. 
MM. Garrigou, Martin, and Tru- 
tat, after examining the débris 
of the human jawbones found at 
Bruniquel, have believed themselves 
warranted in coming to some gene- 
ral conclusion ; and in saying that 
the three jawbones (human) found 
in the quaternary deposits are to 
be referred to the brachycephalic 
type, although they have been met 
with in different localities by the 
side of the cavern-bear in the cave 
of Aurignac, now rendered famous 
by the tombs and the traces of 
funeral festivals described by M. 
Lartet ; by the side of the elephant 
at Moulin-Quignon, and along with 
the reindeer at Bruniquel. Man 
then having lived at different dates 
with animals of various species, ap- 
pears not the less to have retained 
his brachycephalic type. 
In the grotto of Lourdes, already 
explored by MM. Lartet and 
Milne-Edwards, below the layers in 
which these gentlemen had deter- 
mined the proofs of the coexistence 
of man (stone age) and of the rein- 
Notes and Correspondence. 581 
deer; there should be found, ac- 
cording to a recent communication 
from MM. Garrigou and Martin, 
still deeper deposits in which the 
coexistence of man and of the 
aurochs would be obvious. In a 
similar grotto we can then meet 
with the traces of two distinct ages 
superposed, one above the other. 
MM. Garrigou and Martin have 
such confidence in the succession of 
these ages, that in reference to the 
cavern of the valley of Espalungue, 
they put forward this positive 
opinion, that in order to find 
in this locality the traces of 
the coexistence of man, of the 
cavern-bear, and of the elephant 
(E. primigenius), the search should 
be made above the cavern, if it is 
to be attended with any chance of 
Success. 
This question of the antiquity of 
man, only recently so much con- 
troverted, is making, as it will be 
seen, great and rapid progress. We 
have not mentioned all the labours 
undertaken, and all the communica- 
tions made in France, but we may 
well judge from those which have 
been referred to, that French geolo- 
gists have fully appreciated the 
task which they had to fulfil, and 
they are giving themselves with a 
praiseworthy ardour to the study 
of the soil of their country, so rich 
in matters relating to races now 
extinct. 
We could not close our notice 
without acknowledging the readi- 
ness MM. Lartet and Christy have 
shown to communicate their dis- 
coveries in the Perigord to the 
scientific world. After having 
placed specimens of the highest 
value from their excavations in the 
museum of Périgueux, in that 
of Paris, and having reserved one 
specially important example for 
the museum which is being pre- 
pared in the Chateau de St. Ger- 
main to receive the beautiful col- 
lections presented by M. Boucher 
de Perthes, and which will be ex- 
clusively set apart for illustrations of 
the history of the antiquity of man ; 
