1823.] the Caves of the Vale of Pickering, in Yorkshire. 129 



of great variety of sizes, and many much worn down, of which 

 he will no doubt, by and by, give a particular account to the 

 public. Suffice it for our purpose, that these and an immense 

 number of bones of horses, many of the legs complete, though 

 small, were all found enclosed in a cavern that might almost 

 have been said to have been kennel icallii settled until the quarry- 

 ers broke into it on cutting down a wall of limestone for masses 

 to complete the Breakwater. We see, therefore, that these could not 

 have been brought there by either wolves or hyaenas, as all were 

 involved in one common ruin when the hill closed on them at its 

 subsidence ; and, like the Yorkshire cave, this had at its bottom 

 mud in abundance, by carefully searching into which Mr. Cottle 

 disclosed these interesting remains, after some of the larger 

 bones on the surface had been extracted by earlier visitors. 



Among the teeth and bones, many are very well preserved ; 

 even many teeth have their enamel perfect, especially those of 

 the tiger and the hyaena ; and many of the bones are so saturated 

 with the matter of stalactite as to be almost fossil. 



From all these circumstances, it is plain that these animals 

 were at some time congregated in this cave for security (for onlv 

 necessity could have brought that about on account of their very 

 different habits), and it seems probable to me, that to this cir- 

 cumstance alone we owe these great monuments of the Noahtic 

 flood ; for all bones that have not been so preserved must inevi- 

 tably have partaken of that friction which we see has even 

 rounded the quartz fragments, and left only the debris of tfts&s 

 and teeth, and other deposits, among the alluvial gravels; and as 

 the remains are quite similar in both the caves, I think we ina ■ 

 be allowed to conclude, that both assemblages of animals had once 

 been in a similar situation ; that is, totally enclosed by the subsi- 

 dence of the rocks under which they had taken shelterfrom the risii >g 

 wfllers at the deluge. Much stress has been laid on the bones hav- 

 ing been gnawed in the Yorkshire cave : but that, I think, can 

 only prove that some outlived the others ; and, being shut up, 

 made their last meals on them ; as rats, it is known, will do, 

 when long enclosed in a vessel without other food than their 

 own species. And as to the dung of hyaenas, dogs, or wolves, 

 found in the Yorkshire caves, that would naturally have been 

 preserved where bones were not decomposed, being chieflv, if 

 not altogether, a phosphate of lime, I believe. With the greatest 

 respect for the opinions of the gentlemen who have given us 

 their very plausible conjectures on the first cave, I take the 

 liberty to request your publication of mine ; for truth must be 

 the object of us all. Yours, &c. 



G. Cumberland.. 



P.S. Animal matter of half an inch in thickness, it is said, 

 covered the surface of the mud, which was about two feet deep; 

 but none of this has been preserved for examination. 



New Series, vol. v. k 



