1886.] Mr H. Gadoiu, On some Caves in Portugal. 387 



number of fragments of bones of Deer, Roe-deer and Rabbit, in 

 much damaged condition. 



V. 3 feet of red, very dense, somewhat moist clay, without 

 any bones. 



VI. Upon this followed the live rock itself. 



The end chamber, G : 



I. 3 to 4 inches of loose soil, with bats' skeletons, jaw of rabbit, 

 and a few bones of recent birds, mixed up with 



II. Pieces of a cracked and partly broken stalagmitic layer. 

 After removal of this layer : 



III. Human teeth in good preservation, a small piece of the 

 cranium, some phalanges of fingers and toes, fragments of three 

 radii, of an ulna and of a metacarpal, but everything much 

 damaged. The teeth, several phalanges, and the fragment of one 

 radius belonged to a full-grown person ; the other phalanges and 

 radii belonged to a much younger and smaller individual, as is indi- 

 cated by the size of the bones and by the still separate epijjhysis 

 of the distal end of the radii. It was not possible to arrive at a 

 conclusion regarding the original position of the skeletons. Below 

 these bones an instrument made of the cannon-bone of a deer, 

 8 inches long, 1 broad, the lower end being left untouched 

 so as to form a convenient handle, the other end carefully 

 sharpened off on one side into a cutting broad-bladed dagger 1 . 

 There were also about a dozen small rings, of not more 

 than 0"2 in. diameter, with a round hole in the middle, some- 

 times 2 or 3 clinging together with their flat sides. They 

 were decidedly not of metal, of greenish or bluish white colour ; 

 very brittle, some of them falling to pieces before I could clean 

 these little peculiar objects; some were broken by the workmen, 



1 Baron A. von Huegel lias sent me the following remarks on this bone : 



This fine specimen, with some celts, flakes, &c. from Portuguese kitchen mid- 

 dens, was presented by Mr Hans Gadow to the Cambridge Museum of Archaeology. 



The Solestreira specimen (similar worked bones have been found in various 

 caves both at home and abroad) consists of the metatarsus of a large deer, shaped 

 into an implement, which, to judge from the Cassowary bone "daggers" now made 

 by the Fly Eiver natives of New Guinea, was used not only as a weapon but also for 

 various other purposes, such, for instance, as the digging up of edible roots. Con- 

 siderable care has been bestowed on the manufacture of this implement which 

 though rough is quite symmetrical. The lower half of the bone has been kept in its 

 natural condition, so as to form the hilt, which would be held in the closed hand, 

 the condyles fitting very comfortably into the palm of the hand. From the remain- 

 ing portion of the bone the posterior surface, only, has been cut away so as to 

 leave a gradually tapering wedge with a neatly trimmed point, the inner margin of 

 which has been cut and ground into a smooth edge. 



Near this specimen were found, as Mr Gadow describes, stone beads and some 

 fragments of human bones. It would be strange indeed were this the entire yield 

 of so large a cave as the Solestreira, and it is but reasonable to suppose that a com- 

 plete and systematic excavation will bring to light many other objects of prehistoric 

 interest. A. v. H. 



97 2 



