Eevieivs — Lartet and Christy's Reliquice Aquitanicce. 463 



If anytMng were wanting to add interest to this book, in the 

 estimation of English readers, it is to be found in the fact that the 

 wonderful collection accumulated with so much pains and labour 

 by the late Mr. Henry Christy, and which finally cost him his life, 

 are now secured to the nation by his will, and as soon as suitable 

 exhibition accommodation can be provided, will form a part of the 

 treasures in the British Museum. 



The text of the several parts of the Eeliquige Aquitanicge is two- 

 fold, the principal portion or narrative being paged separately from 

 the description of the plates, which latter is, however, a history of 

 itself, being illustrated, where needed, with explanatory woodcuts of 

 modern weapons used by the Esquimaux, etc., at the present day. 



The plates are also in two series, A., PI. I. to XII. being imple- 

 plements of stone, whilst B., Plate I. to VI., are weapons of bone 

 and horn, carved antlers of reindeer, and ornaments formed of shells 

 and teeth of animals, etc. 



We find illustrations given in B., Plate V., Part III., of several 

 shells which show clearly, by their having been perforated, that they 

 had been worn either as ornaments or charms by the aborigines who 

 inhabited the cavern of La Madelaine. The custom of using shells, 

 etc., as necklaces, or other personal decorations, is common, not 

 only among savages, but even among civilized races at the present 

 day, and might therefore be passed over without special remark ; 

 but in this case the shells have been obtained, not from sea or river, 

 but from the Faluns of Touraine or Bordeaux, deposits of Miocene 

 age, rich in fossil marine shells, many of which are so well pre- 

 served as to retain the glazed surface seen in recent specimens. Dr. 

 Fischer, of Paris, (p. 43,) has determined as many as five species in 

 the caverns of Perigord. 



It is interesting to record that, in the cavern of Bruniquel, Dep. 

 Tarne et Garonne, an Oolitic Belemnite, having its sides squared 

 by grindiag, was fomid among the debris : also an Ammonite and a 

 Gryphcea, probably introduced by children as toys. Perforated 

 recent marine shells were likewise numerous. These relics are pre- 

 served in the British Museum.^ 



We called attention, in our former notice, to the fine series of fish- 

 harpoons cut from reindeer horn (B., Plate I.), and also to drawings 

 on horn and bone of animals (B., Plate II.). In Part II. at B., Plate 

 III. et IV., are given illustrations of some magnificent weapons 

 made of reindeer-horn, perforated and carved in various patterns 

 according to the skill and ingenuity of the possessor. In, B., Plate 

 VI., Part III., is given a second series of fish-hai-poons, less well 

 preserved than those in B., Plate I. ; and also some small bone pins; 

 the use of those and of the harpoons is clearly explained by the help 

 of the figures given in Part III. pp. 50 and 51. These consist of 

 a series of weapons principally in use among the Esquimaux, for 

 angling, and spearing fish, the double-pointed bone pin forming the 

 hook. 



If we examine the harpoon heads figured on B., Plate I., and B., 

 1 For an account of tills cave see Geol, Mag., Vol. 1, p. 137. 



