QUATEENAET PAUNA OP GIBEALTAE. 67 



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 cursoiy view of the osseous remains thus imperfectly displayed. 



It fortunately happened, however, in the year 18G3, 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 aff'orded 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 Koca — 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 natura,liste residant sur les lieux prenait la peine de 

 recueillir et de degager avec soin ceux qui se decouvriraient pendant quelques annees, 

 comme je I'ai fait pour les ossemens de nos gypses ! D'apres ce que nous aliens voir, on 

 ne pent douter qu'il n'y fit des recoltes abondantes et interessantes." 



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 Foasiles,' 4th ed. torn. vi. p. 347. 



