QUATERNARY FAUNA OF GIBRALTAR. 57 
the surface-materials and mud &c. washed into them, together with fragments of 
limestone detached from the sides of the fissure. Under these circumstances the 
breccia is usually very compact and exceedingly hard, and the bones are commonly 
much broken or even comminuted, and the fragments very irregularly dispersed. ‘The 
hardness and very close adhesion of the matrix in this sort of breccia renders the 
extraction of any considerable portion of a bone extremely difficult and tedious. It is 
no wonder, therefore, that observers have hitherto been obliged to be content with a 
very cursory view of the osseous remains thus imperfectly displayed. 
It fortunately happened, however, in the year 1863, that a completely sealed fissure- 
cavern was accidentally discovered in the making of an excavation for a water-tank 
within the precincts of the military prison on Windmill Hill; and it was still more 
fortunate that the discovery was made by one zealous and eager for the further explo- 
ration of the cavity thus disclosed. By the unwearied exertions of Capt. Fred. Brome, 
at that time governor of the prison, with the enlightened aid and encouragement of 
Gen. Sir W. Codrington, K.C.B., the then governor of the fortress, the exploration of 
the Genista cave and fissures in communication with it was carried on for several 
years and to a depth of between 300 and 400 feet. The result of this exploration was 
the collection of an enormous quantity of animal remains, varying in age from the 
Prehistoric human period to probably the Pleistocene epoch. These more ancient 
relics have afforded the principal materials for the present communication ; but for 
some very interesting additions I have been indebted to General Frome, who forwarded 
a large quantity of very valuable breccia from Poca Roca—and also to Captain Luard, 
who has contributed some very interesting specimens. 
One of the principal advantages derived from the Genista-fissure specimens arises 
from the circumstance that a very large proportion of the bones were not imbedded in 
the usual hard matrix, and that very many among them were entire or nearly so; and 
what is still more remarkable, instances occurred of bones belonging to the same 
individual found either in juxtaposition or at no very great distance apart. 
This happy combination of circumstances placed Dr. Falconer and myself, of course, 
at a great advantage over our predecessors, so far as the determination of species was 
concerned; and our lamented friend Capt. Brome might justly congratulate himself 
upon carrying out the wish and fulfilling the anticipations of Cuvier *:— 
“Que serait-ce si quelque naturaliste résidant sur les lieux prenait la peine de 
recueillir et de dégager avec soin ceux qui se découvriraient pendant quelques années, 
comme jel’ai fait pour les ossemens de nos gypses! D’aprés ce que nous allons voir, on 
ne peut douter qu'il n’y fit des récoltes abondantes et intéressantes.” 
Although the bone-breccia of Gibraltar, in common with that met with under pretty 
nearly similar conditions at numerous sites around the shores of the Mediterranean 
and Adriatic, has been long well known, and from an early period been viewed with 
* «Ossemens Fossiles, 4th ed. tom. vi. p. 347. 
