58 ME. G. BUSK ON THE ANCIENT OK 



much interest by various writers, up to the present time very little has been really 

 known with respect to the number or names of the species of Mammals &c. whose 

 remains are imbedded in it. 



The earliest notice respecting this point which it seems worth while to cite is that 

 given by Major Imrie i, who appears to have been a very acute observer. The only 

 species he mentions is what he terms the " Sheep," founding his diagnosis upon a 

 perfect lower jaw, but which was most probably that of the Ibex. He also relates the 

 discovery, at a great depth near the summit of the mountain, of two skulls, which were 

 supposed to be human, but which he himself, from their size, was disposed to consider 

 those of the Barbary Ape 2. In 1794 some bones, sent to W. Hunter, were pro- 

 nounced by his illustrious brother ^ to belong to the family of Euminants, a species of 

 Lejms, besides those of various birds, and a small Dog or Fox. 



Cuvier * describes in detail and gives figures of a Euminant's jaw and other bones, 

 which he assigned to a species of Cervus corresponding in size to C. dama. He did 

 not himself notice any bones of Rodents amongst those submitted to his inspection, but 

 gives a figure taken from a drawing by Adrian Camper from a specimen of breccia in 

 his possession, in which are exposed the two mandibles of a Hare-like animal, regarded 

 by Cuvier as a species of Lagomys. We may, however, in the absence of further 

 information, perhaps be allowed to doubt whether the specimens in question really 

 came from Gibraltar, where certainly in the enormous mass of bones and breccia 

 examined by Dr. Falconer and myself nothing of the kind has turned up. 



This brief reszMwe will show how important and numerous are the additions now 

 made to the ancient fauna of Gibraltar, and how great is the assistance thence afi'orded 

 towards our knowledge of its former zoological relations. 



Amongst the main results, in a zoological point of view, which may be drawn from 

 the discoveries recorded in the present communication, the following appear to be the 

 most prominent : — 



1. That at a remote period, after the Rock of Gibraltar had undergone its last 

 changes, but had probably not been completely severed from the African continent, 

 being covered with an abundant arboreal vegetation, it harboured a numerous fauna of 

 large Mammals, herbivorous and carnivorous, the former including not improbably a 

 species of Elephant {E. antiquus), certainly a Rhinoceros, two species of Deer, together 

 with vast numbers of a species of Ibex, the Wild Boar, Hares and Rabbits ; whilst the 

 latter were represented by the Leopard, Hyaena, Southern Ljnx, and one or two other 



' Trans. Roy. Soo. Edinburgh, toI. iv. 1708. j , 1 _ 



' Cuvier (I. c. p. 341) suggests that more probablj' these might have been portions of the skulls of a Ruminant. 

 But I see no a priori, reason against Major Imrie's suggestion. On this point a few remarks wiU be found in 

 the sequel. ' Phil. Trans, vol. Lx. p. 412, 1794. * Op. cit. p. 339. 



