126 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
of larger dimensions, this Great Cave Bear was distinct from the 
Grisly, or else an unusual variation in regard to bulk and certain 
ostéological characters obtained in the Grisly Bear of ancient 
Britain. Compared individually, the Brown, Grisly and Cave 
Bears stood in much the same relative height as the Shetland pony, 
Galloway, and dray horse. 
The geographical distribution of these bears over the British 
Isles, so far as is known, seems to indicate that the largest form 
was restricted to England, and that the Grisly was also common 
in Ireland, where no certain remains of the Brown Bear have been 
yet discovered. 
The Cave Bear no doubt was the first to disappear, followed by 
the Grisly, whilst the Brown Bear survived to within historical 
times. All were contemporaneous here long after the separation 
of Great Britain from the Continent, and gradually died off, it may 
be from failure of food or through human agency. Looking to the 
habits and food of living species, it is apparent that the Bear would 
survive the Lion, for the reason that it is not entirely dependent 
on flesh for its subsistence, but will eat vegetable food—indeed, 
many species prefer it to animal food; consequently the Lion may 
have died of starvation in Great Britain when the Deer and other 
prey became very scarce.* No doubt failure of food has brought 
about the extinction of many species, and in the case of the British 
Islands, even supposing man had not appeared on the scene, the 
severance from the Continent must have initiated a struggle for 
existence among the larger quadrupeds, of which the fittest only 
would survive. The great Cave Bear and the Grisly, not to 
mention the Lion and Hyena, must have been formidable enemies 
to the deer and wild oxen; indeed, the probabilities are that 
none of the former survived long after the separation from the 
mainland. . 
That man played a considerable part in exterminating the bear 
tribe is proved by the arrows, spears, and hatchets of stone which 
have been discovered in several cavernst either overlying the 
remains in question or associated with them. But, although man 
contributed to the extinction of many species, it is probable that 
* But the wild deer have outlived the lion, and survive to the present day. The 
wild ox was more probably the lion’s prey.—Ep. 
+ Amongst others may be mentioned Kent’s Cavern ; Brixham Cave, Devonshire; 
Long Cave, near Gower; and Wokey Hole, Cheddar, Somersetshire.—Ep. 
