228 Geological Society. 



A note " On the Bone Caves of Devonshire," by R, A. C. Aus- 

 ten, Esq., F.G.S., was then read. 



Mr. Austen commences by noticing the two theories which have 

 been proposed to account for the introduction of the bones of ani- 

 mals into caves — one, which accounts for their presence on the belief 

 that they were dragged in by hyaenas or bears inhabiting the caves ; 

 the other, which supposes that the bones were drifted in by diluvial 

 waters. He then proceeds to give his own explanation of the phae- 

 nomena presented by Kent's Cave and Yealmpton Cavern ; but he 

 says it is not his intention, by doing so, to propose a general theory 

 for ossiferous caves. 



In the Devonshire caverns, mentioned above, remains of the Ele- 

 phant, Hog, Rhinoceros, Horse, Ox, Bear, Hyaena, and Cat, gene- 

 rally bearing marks of teeth, are intermingled. With reference to the 

 means liy which they were collected, Mr. Austen observes, the habits 

 of the Hyaena are now better known than formerly, and there is 

 little in tliem to warrant the conclusion that the fossil bones were 

 collected by that animal. He says, on the authority of Cuvier, that 

 hj'aenas " se tiennent solitaires dans les parties montagneuses," (last 

 Edit. Oss. Foss.) least of all do they inhabit caves ; that they have 

 not the courage to attack any formidable animal, preferring the pu- 

 trid flesh and bones, which they find in their nightly prowlings : 

 that they never drag away their prey, but devour it greedily on the 

 spot : and he adds, on the authority of M. Marcel de Serres, who 

 has observed the habits of the Hyaena in Africa, " that its gluttony is 

 equalled only by its cowardice." 



The Lion, on the other hand, seeks solely for living prey, which it 

 prostrates at one spring, and then conveys to its lair. The Afri- 

 can lion has been known to carry off a bullock, and its constant 

 abode is in chasms, caves, or on overhanging ledges of rock. 



Mr. Austen is therefore induced to believe that the cavern bones 

 were in the first instance the prey of the larger fehne animals, and 

 that during their absence the hyaenas visited the caves to feed upon 

 the fragments of the partially consumed prey ; and in support of this 

 view he quotes the passage from Johnson's Field Sports, given in the 

 Reliquiw Diluviance (p. 22) : " they feed on small animals and carrion, 

 and often come in for the prey left by tigers and leopards after their 

 appetites have been satiated." 



What the large feline animals were, Mr. Austen says, is not im- 

 portant, as they resemble each other in their habits. The remains 

 of a Felis as large or larger than any now known, have been found 

 in the Plymouth and Hutton caves, and the canine and molar figured 

 by Dr. Buckland from Kirkdale, are said by Cuvier to differ in no 

 respect from those of a lion. (Oss. Foss. IV. 151.) 



The remains of a fossil lion have been also found in the caves of 

 Gailenreuth, the province of Liege, Mialet and Jobertas (Dep. du 

 Gard), Lunel-Viel, Joyeuse, Ardeche, Fouvent, Fausan (Dep. de 

 I'Herault), and in Kent's Cavern. 



It is known that the Lions of the present day will attack every 

 one of the animals, the remains of which are found in Kent's Hole, 



