OSSIFEROUS CAVE OF BRIXHAM. 493 



The general structure of the cavern is now distinctly- 

 intelligible. A road (R R) runs along the outcrop of the 

 strata from NE. to SW., a little below the level of the open- 

 ings A and B. The 'Reindeer Gallery' (E E) corresponds 

 with a line of vertical dislocation, perpendicular to the 

 strike of the strata, and the ' Flint-knife Gallery ' (F F) to a 

 series of intersecting tunnel-shaped passages, joining on to 

 the former. From the gallery FF a number of unexplored 

 passages (D D) diverge right and left. This ' Flint-knife 

 Gallery ' has an irregularly vaulted low roof, which along 

 the greater portion of its extent is perfectly free from any 

 crust of stalactite, and bears the most distinct marks of 

 having been hollowed out by the long protracted action of 

 running water. The floor of this gallery was formed, nearly 

 throughout, of ochreous cave earth, free from any stalag- 

 mitic incrustation upon the surface, while the ' Reindeer 

 Gallery ' (E E), terminating upwards in an irregular fissured 

 cleft, abounded both in stalactitic pendicles, and was over- 

 laid by a floor of stalagmite, of irregular thickness. At the 

 ' Ebur chasm' (G), where the two principal galleries inter- 

 sect, the floor was formed of a thin crust of stalagmite, 

 stretching across an empty cavity, the bottom of which is 

 filled with ochreous cave earth. About the middle of the 

 ' Reindeer Gallery ' there is a passage, ' Steep Slide Hole ' 

 (J), given off in a north-easterly direction, at a very steep 

 incline, which has been followed down to about 40 feet. The 

 ' Reindeer Gallery ' is continued inwards beyond its inter- 

 section with the ' Flint-knife Gallery ' at (G) ; but the 

 passage is crammed to the roof with ochreous cave earth, 

 and it remains unexplored. This part of the cavern is 

 expected to yield a rich harvest of fossil bones. Regarded 

 in a general way, the Brixham Cavern may be considered as 

 partaking of the tunnel-character of the Kirkdale Cave, in 

 the ' Flint-knife Gallery,' and of the fissure-character of 

 Kent's Hole and the Gower Caves, in the ' Reindeer Gallery.' 

 No vertical flues ascending towards the summit of the cliff 

 have as yet been detected in the explored parts, such as 

 were found in the Oreston Cave and in Paviland. 



2. Workings. — The conduct of the excavations was con- 

 signed by the London committee to Mr. Prestwich and Mr. 

 Pengelly. The committee, fully impressed with the proba- 

 bility of remains of different periods being met with at 

 different levels in the cavern floor, determined from the out- 

 set on working the upper deposits horizontally inwards, as 

 far as might be practicable on the same horizon, and then of 

 working the lower deposits successively in the same manner. 

 In this way they considered that they would avoid the risk 



