1823.] Mr. Weaver on Fossil Human Bones. 33 



current. Now this is precisely the position of the gypsum,, in 

 which those remains are found. If it be maintained that the 

 animal remains deposited in the cavities and fissures of the lime- 

 stone and gypsum, belong respectively to different epochs; and 

 that of such as occur in both ; namely, the rhinoceros, ox and 

 deer tribes, hyaena and jaguar, these were at later periods washed 

 out of the limestone, and then deposited with the other remains 

 in the gypsum, it may be inquired, why were not the remains of 

 the horse equally dislodged ? And as the fissures and cavities of 

 the limestone are described to be entirely filled at present with 

 the same loamy deposit as those of the gypsum, it may also be 

 asked, in what manner could the former be partly emptied, and 

 yet be filled again with the same alluvium at those supposed 

 different epochs ? And how could the cavities of the gypsum 

 have remained empty, while those of the limestone were filled 

 during the first of those periods. There appears to be an inconse- 

 quence in such a supposition. If, again, it be contended that the 

 whole of these deposits were post-diluvian, it may be remarked that 

 this seems to be contradicted by the same loamy soil which occu- 

 pies the fissures and cavities of the limestone and gypsum, being 

 spread over the whole country to a great extent. It is true, Baron 

 von Schlotheim appears to suppose the former existence of a lake, 

 whence the waters flowing out, on the breaking down of its bar- 

 riers, bones belonging to different repositories and different eras 

 have been commingled and swept together. But lakes, in the 

 natural course of things, have a tendency to filling up, by a gra- 

 dual accumulation on their bottoms, and not to bursting their 

 barriers. Of the former existence of many such inland seas and 

 lakes, there is ample evidence in the present form of the surface 

 of the earth; but the gorges and defiles, by which their waters 

 were discharged, clearly show that those channels were exca- 

 vated by a mighty power ; and as no physical cause now in 

 action could have produced such effects, it may fairly be inferred 

 that it was not post-diluvian. Where then is such a power to be 

 found but in the agency of the diluvian waters, or in the more 

 ancient causes which operated during or subsequent to the de- 

 position of the earlier strata? 



It is also to be observed, that in the fissures and cavities of 

 both formations, the remains met with belong partly to extinct 

 animals, and partly to such as agree with existing species. In 

 considering the animal remains discovered in caves and in diluvian 

 tracts, it appears hitherto to have been the practice to confine 

 the terms " animals of the former, ancient, or antediluvian 

 world to such as are now extinct. If the deluge was the great 

 agent by which land animals were destroyed ; and if in the 

 existing order of beings the races were renewed with certain 

 exceptions, we might expect to find in the depositions conse- 

 quent to that catastrophe, the remains both of extinct animals, 

 and of such as correspond with recent species ; and we do so 

 find them, e. g. in the cave, or rather series of caves, lately dis- 



J\eu Series, vol. v. D 



