486 OSSIFEROUS CAVE OF BRIXHAM. 



XVIII. ON THE OSSIFEROUS CAYE OF BRIXHAM, 



NEAR TORQUAY. 



[The great and sudden revolution in modern opinion, res- 

 pecting the probable existence at a former period of man 

 and many extinct mammalia, has been universally attributed 

 to the results of the explorations of the Brixham Cave. The 

 subjoined documents show clearly in whom this revolution 

 mainly originated. On May 10th, 1858, the annexed letter, 

 respecting the then newly discovered cave of Brixham, was 

 addressed by Dr. Falconer to the Council of the Geological 

 Society, and in consequence of a recommendatory resolution 

 passed by the Council, the Royal Society, on May 13th, gave 

 a grant of 1001. towards the exploration of the cave in the 

 manner suggested by Dr. Falconer. Miss Burdett Coutts 

 contributed bOl. towards the same object. At Dr. Falconer's 

 suggestion, a committee was appointed to carry the design 

 into effect. The committee consisted of Professor Ramsay, 

 Mr. Prestwich, Sir Charles Lyell, Professor Owen, Mr. 

 Beetles, the Rev. R. Everest, and Mr. Godwin-Austen. Dr. 

 Falconer was entrusted with laying down the plan and 

 giving the instructions upon which the exploration was to 

 be conducted, and the works were carried on under the 

 immediate superintendence of Mr. Pengelly. The fossil 

 remains were identified by Dr. Falconer. On the 9th Sep- 

 tember, 1858, a report on the progress of the operations, 

 drawn up by Professor Ramsay, Mr. Pengelly, and Dr. 

 Falconer, was submitted to the general committee, and by 

 them was forwarded to the Royal Society, which, from the 

 importance of the results already elicited, voted an additional 

 sum of 1001. to prosecute the inquiry. Almost immediately 

 afterwards, Dr. Falconer was compelled to proceed to the 

 south of Europe, on account of his health ; but the ex- 

 plorations were continued by Mr. Pengelly. At a meeting of 

 the general committee, held after his death, Mr. Prestwich 

 was requested to draw up a final report embodying the chief 

 results of the exploration. The first report is given here iu 

 full, and embodies the important facts determined by Dr. 

 Falconer of the indiscriminate mixture in the Brixham 

 Cave of human industrial remains with bones of Rhinoceros, 

 Hyaena, and other extinct animals. — Ed.] 



