Dec. tSnS.l MOTTER : STUDY OF THE FaUNA OF THE GRAVE. 217 



2. Numbers 5, 38, 74, 78, 79, 81-99 inclusive, are especially- 

 noteworthy on account of the unusual method of interment followed 

 in the cemetery from which all were taken. Here, in every instance, 

 each separate burial case is inclosed in a four-inch brick wall, laid in 

 cement, and covered with stone or slate slabs, likewise sealed with 

 cement, thus making what is practically a vault for each interment. 

 This, it would seem, would prove an almost impenetrable barrier to 

 the necrophagous fauna. It must be remembered, however, that, no 

 matter how carefully prepared and laid, this cement, sooner or later, 

 disintegrates ; and that, save where two or more interments are made 

 in the same grave -site — as is here not infrequently the case — the bot- 

 tom of these vault-chambers is of earth, not of brick or stone. But, 

 even where one vault is built on top of another, the crumbling cement 

 leaves interstices between the bricks, through which, as we have seen, 

 come diverse sorts of animals. 



The following list of fifty cases includes those in which the exam- 

 ination was, for one reason or another, incomplete, the records frag- 

 mentary or unreliable, or the specimens lost. 



101. — 5 mos. Grave 6 ft., dry; sandy. Pneumonia. Interred January 22, 1896. 

 No insects found. Body embalmed and in good state of preservation. 

 Slight whitish fungus over lower part of face and hands. 

 102. — 1 yr. 2 mos. Grave 4 ft., moist ; sand. Gastro-enteritis. Interred April 29, 

 1896. 

 On outside of coffin, chelifer, spider and thysanura ; inside no insects found. 

 Cadavar embalmed, tissue leathery, covered with thick, white, felt-like fungus. 

 103. — 3 yrs. Grave 6 ft. , dry ; sandy. Consumption. Interred May II, 1894. 



Chelanops tristis Bks. and thysanura on outside of coffin. No insects inside. 

 Body embalmed. Bones of skull clean, covered with thick, white fungus. 

 Examination interrupted. 

 104. — 3 yrs. 3 mos. Grave 7 ft., day ; sandy. Asphyxia. Interred July 20, 1893. 

 Body embalmed and well preserved. Face and hands covered with thick, 

 white fungus. No insects found. 

 105. — 4 yrs. Grave 5 ft., moist ; sand and clay. Interred July 14, 1893. 



Had not sufficient time to examine thoroughly. Fragments of numerous 

 staphylinids [Eleusis pallida Lee?) no specimens taken. 

 106. — 4 yrs. I mo. Grave 5 ft., coffin submerged ; sand and clay. Valvular disease 

 heart. Interred May 1, 1893. 

 Too wet to handle. Coffin contained embalming fluid. Skull stripped, some 

 adipocere still remaining on lower limbs. 

 107. — 4 yrs. 2 mos. Grave 3 ft., moist ; sand and clay. Still-born. Interred April 

 24, 1893. 

 Gastropoda, Helicodiscus lineatus Say. 

 Diptera, Sepsidre, Piophila casei Linn., puparia. 



