156 HY.ENA. 



Mr. Stutchbury in the cavernous fissure lately opened on 

 Durdham Down near Bristol. These remains were associ- 

 ated, as usual, with those of the Bear and Wolf, of a large 

 Bovine animal, of the Rhinoceros, Hippopotamus, and young 

 Mammoths. The bones were all detached and broken into 

 small bits; and the proportion of teeth and horns to the 

 other parts of the body greatly preponderated. In reference 

 to the possible modes of the accumulation of these remains, 

 Mr. Stutchbury argues that "the first method by floods is ex- 

 cluded, because, as in all diluvial accumulations, there would 

 have been a mixture of rolled stones of various kinds. If 

 the animals had fallen into the fissure, whole skeletons, or 

 at least all the bones of a single individual, would have been 

 entombed. But, so far from this being the case, the recep- 

 tacle would not contain a number approaching to that of 

 the animals whose remains are here found. On the other 

 hand, the theory that the cave was the den of Hyaenas, 

 is consistent with all the observed facts. The habits of 

 these animals to tear up putrid carcases, to carry off por- 

 tions to their dens in rocks, to crush with violent force the 

 bones of their prey, the gnawed and splintered condition of 

 the bones, are circumstances which render the last-adduced 

 theory highly probable, and worthy to be assumed as the 



true one." " By comparison of the teeth of the fossil 



Hyaena with those of recent animals, their enormous size 

 was strikingly shewn ; those of the Hyaena proved it to 

 have been larger than the largest known species of tiger." 

 Mr. Stutchbury does not give the admeasurements. 



The skull from the bone-cave called Kent's Hole near 

 Torquay, figured at the head of the present section, (cut 

 54,) measures fourteen inches in total length, and exhibits 

 the dental characters, and the strong intermuscular ridges 

 of the formidable spelaean Hyaena in great perfection. 



