3180 THE Zootocist—AveustT, 1872. 
After obtaining an immense quantity of bones and teeth of bears, gigantic 
stags, hyenas, rhinoceros and other animals from the neighbouring quarries, 
Dr. Riviére commenced the exploration of the cavern of Baoussé-rousse, 
situated on the Italian frontier and on the line of railway from Mentone to 
Vintimille. This skeleton was found beneath a layer of earth several yards 
in thickness, and is in a very fine and remarkable state of preservation ; it 
is entire, with the exception of the ribs, which have been broken by the 
weight of superincumbent earth. The teeth and lower jaw are in a good 
state of preservation : ‘the legs are crossed in a natural position, and the 
arms folded near the head, seeming to imply that the man died in his 
sleep and was carefully covered over without disturbing the earth beneath. 
Round the skeleton were found a great quantity of stone implements, as 
scrapers, chisels and axes, and also bone needles, the form of which seems 
to have been produced by their having been rubbed down on some hard 
substance. Mr. Nicholl, who has examined the cave, thinks this a case of 
burial, certain stones at the back and front being so placed, by design, as if 
roughly to mark the place of sepulture. These particulars are from the 
‘Popular Science Review’ for July, 1872, p. 283. 
White Badger.—White badgers have occasionally been seen, and amongst 
some hundreds of badgers that I have seen and taken out I have observed 
this freak of nature two or three times only. As far as I know, this colour of 
hair has always been attributed to the advanced age of the animal. This, like 
many other plausible theories, however, requires proof, and from the following 
instance we may conclude that it is not always the effect of age. A few days 
since, I took from an earth an old sow badger and young ones, suckers, one 
of which is white. I inclose cuttings of hair from the back of the white 
one, and also from its dark brother, which is of the usual colour. Amongst 
the various opinions as to the singular colour of it, the most novel was that 
of a well-known breeder of game terriers, who, in confidence to the anxious 
inquiries of a very knowing farmer, replied, “I expect the old badger 
somehow caught a glimpse of my young Fury, and, thinking it was fe 
Fury, returned got frightened, and so marked the baby.”—* Cornubia” 
the ‘ Field’ newspaper. 
White Badger.—In reference to the records that have appeared ooirsitia 
the occurrence of white badgers, and the theory that the whiteness is due to 
great age, Mr. F’. H. Salvin thus writes in the ‘Field’ of July 20th:— 
« Many years ago a full-grown male badger escaped from a person whom 
I knew, and took to an earth in a wood some ten miles off. There were no 
badgers in the neighbourhood, and this animal lived there by himself for 
fifteen years, when he was found dead at the mouth of the hole. I cannot 
say how old he was when he got away, but, from his skull (which I have 
before me) and the state of his teeth, he clearly died of old age, and his fur 
was of the usual gray and black colour. At a future time I hope to give 
