184 MUTILATION OF CERTAIN BONES. 



justifies and accounts for the selection made by the dogs, it is 

 interesting thus to ascertain that their predilections were the 

 same in primaeval times as at present. Moreover, we may 

 in this manner explain. the prevalence of some bones in fossil 

 strata. I have already mentioned that of the skull, the hard 

 parts round the eye and the lower jaw are the only parts 

 left ; now the preponderance of lower jaws in a fossil state is 

 well known. 



For instance, in the "Proceedings of the Geological Society 

 for 1857," p. 277, Dr. Falconer, after describing some of the 

 fossils found by Mr. Beccles at Swanage, says: "The curious 

 fact that only lower jaws should have turned up among the 

 Stonesfield mammalian remains has often been the subject 

 of speculation or remark. The same, to a certain extent, 

 has held good with the remains found in the Purbeck beds. 

 In these minute creatures, unless the bone be com- 

 plete, and, supposing it to be a long bone, with both its 

 articular surfaces perfect, it is almost hopeless, or at any rate 

 very discouraging, to attempt to make out the creature that 

 yielded it ; whereas the smallest fragment of a jaw, with a 

 minute tooth in it, speaks volumes of evidence at the first 

 glance. This I believe to be one great reason why we hear 

 so much of jaw remains, and so little of other bones." No 

 doubt it is so, but these observations, made by Prof. Steen- 

 strup, afford a farther explanation of the fact, and it is to be 

 regretted that the parts of the long bones which are most 

 important to the palaeontologist are also those which are 

 preferred by beasts of prey. 



In every case, the bones which contained marrow are split 

 open in the manner best adapted for its extraction : this pecu- 

 liarity, which is in itself satisfactory proof of the presence 

 of man, has not yet been observed in bones from the true 

 tertiary strata. 



The Kjokkenmoddings were not mere summer quarters; 



