of Fossil Bones in a Mad-Pit near North Cliff. 227 



grown shell. It is not the first time that similar bones have 

 been found with similar shells, but it is perhaps the first time 

 that the shells have been minutely examined by so competent 

 an observe!'. Mr. Phillips, after comparing the shells col- 

 lected by Mr. Dikes and by ourselves, with the recent tyjies, 

 states, that the twelve species discovered in the marl agree in 

 every respect, even in their accidental variations, with the same 

 species now existing in Yorksiiire. 



This fact has great weight in resolving the question whether 

 the remains of elephant, rhinoceros, and lion, found in these 

 regions under circumstances which leave no doubt that the 

 creatures lived here, are proofs of a change of climate having 

 taken place. There is much force in M. Cuvier's argument 

 to the contrary', drawn from the comparative anatomy of the 

 animals themselves. We find together a fossil elephant and 

 a fossil glutton ; the latter belonging to a genus which now in- 

 liabits a cold country, the former to one which lives in a hot 

 climate; but the fossil elephant differs in its anatomy from 

 the living elephant more than the fossil glutton differs from 

 the living glutton: it is more probable then that that parti- 

 cular species of elephant was adapted to a cold climate, than 

 that the glutton was fitted for a hot one. But the argument 

 is still stronger which may be derived from the circumstance 

 of these fossil animals being found to have coexisted with a 

 number of molluscous species absolutely the same as those 

 which now inhabit our country, and to have coexisted also, 

 we may justly infer, with a number of our present plants on 

 which those species feed. The coexistence, it may be said, re- 

 (juires to be proved : but I think it would be very difficult to 

 account for the manner in which the shells and bones are here 

 intermingled, upon any other supposition ; and it must be re- 

 membered that this is not a solitary instance of their inter- 

 mixture: similar shells have been several times observed to ac- 

 company the remains of elephant and rhinoceros, though the 

 lact may not hitherto have been placed so distinctly in evi- 

 dence. 



But I proceed to a question of more importance, the answer 

 to which may perhaps be allowed to determine both this point 

 and others of superior intercist. At what jieriod did these ani- 

 mals live? Can we fix the cpt)ch when the marl which enve- 

 lo])s them was deposited ? 



To determine more fiilly the nature and direction of the 

 deposit, 1 have had borings made which have i'urnished me 

 with the following sections: 



2G2 i'K.in 



