20 Mr. Weaver on Fossil Human Bones. [Jan. 



other hand, in the Politz limestone, I have not observed any 

 petrifactions of shells. At the latter place, the upper quarry, 

 situated near the middle of the declivity, is particularly instruc- 

 tive, exhibiting wide fissures and cavities, entirely filled with the 

 alluvial loamy deposit, that covers the whole country to a great 

 extent. Considerable masses of stalactite appear in several 

 places, and here principally were found those bones of large 

 land animals noticed in the following description, and now con- 

 tained in my collection. They were met with at the depth of 

 about 20 feet, imbedded in the loam of one of the widest cavi- 

 ties. They consist of 



1 . Lower bones of the foot, hollow bones, dorsal vertebrae, and 

 single fragments of bones, of the rhinoceros antiquus of Blumen- 

 bach. 



2. Lower jaws and single teeth of a species of horse of the 

 former world, particularly distinguished by the extraordinary 

 length of the teeth. 



3. Dorsal vertebrse and hollow bones of ruminating animals, 

 belonging to species of the ox and deer tribes of the ancient 

 world, of an unusually large size. Of the latter occur also very 

 large pieces of the horns, with the coronets adhering, and brow 

 antlers and branches of great length : these closely resemble the 

 drawings of Cuvier, torn. iv. pi. 1, rig. 3 ; but it is doubtful whe- 

 ther they are derived from the Cervus elaphas primordialis, or 

 from the Alee gigantea, the upper or palm part of the horns being- 

 wanting. 



4. Lower jaws, with the teeth mostly in a perfect state of 

 preservation, of a large species of hy&na of the former world, 

 canis crocutceformis major. Cuvier, torn. iv. p. 28, figs. 10, 12, 

 and 14. 



5. Fragments of the upper and lower jaws, and single tusks of 

 the leo diluvianus, which approaches most nearly to the jaguar. 

 Cuvier, torn. iv. pi. 1, figs. 3, 7. Compare with Mem. sur les 

 grands Chats, pi. 1, figs. 3, 5. It is doubtful whether the frag- 

 ments of one of these jaws do not belong rather to a kind 

 of tiger of the former world. 



All these bones are more or less changed and penetrated with 

 calcareous matter, the alteration being particularly observable in 

 the bones of the rhinoceros, and in those of the ruminating ani- 

 mals. The condition of the greater part of the bones of the 

 other animals is nearly the same as that of the bones found in 

 the caverns at Gaylenreuth, Scharzfeld, and elsewhere ; and 

 hence it seems probable that they are of an equal age, and refer- 

 able to the same epoch of the ancient world. As, however, the 

 fossil bones of the rhinoceros, and of the ox and deer tribes, are 

 principally met with in loam, calcareous tufa, and other alluvial 

 beds ; and the latter in particular have hardly occurred in the 

 chambers of the cavernous limestone (hohlenkalkstein) in com- 

 pany with those of bears, hyaenas, lions, 8cc. it is certainly possi- 



