1865,] avarken qibbaltar cates. 371 



Makch 22, 1865. 



Henry Turner, Esq., Mottingham, Kent, was elected a Fellow. 



The following communications were read : — 



1. Notes on the Caves o/Gibealtab. 

 By Lieut. Charles Wakken, E.E. 



[Abstract.] 

 The principal caves in Gibraltar are St. Michael's, Martin's, Glen 

 Rocky, Genista, Asylum Tank, Poca Roca, and three on the eastern 

 face of the rock underneath the signal-station. 



The cave at Poca Roca is, in the author's opinion, a portion of the 

 cleft in the rock which extends from the town to the village of 

 Catalan Bay. 



The strata of rock on the eastern side are usually covered over 

 by a very recent formation, which gives a deceptive appearance to 

 casual observers ; this Lieut. Warren found to be the case while 

 scarping at Middle Hill. 



St. Michael's cave is a portion of a transverse cleft through the 

 rock ; and it is probable that at no very (historically) remote period 

 it was open to view, as it is described by a Latin writer (Pomponius 

 Mela) as opening up the side of the rock into an enormous cavern. 



There appears to have been an idea that this cave has not been 

 thoroughly explored since Lieut. Rich, R.A., went down it in 

 1840-46. Capt. Weber Smith went halfway down in 1840, the 

 lengthy report of his exploit being now recorded in the R.E. office, with 

 a plan which was completed by Lieut. Goodall, R.E., in 1858, 

 who explored the whole cave. Since then the author has been 

 down to the bottom more than twenty times, and has broken into 

 new caves with crow-bars and jumpers, and he is confident that 

 without the use of crow-bars no further passage can be discovered. 



There are several bone-deposits over the rock. During the exca- 

 vation of the Rosia defences immense masses were exhumed ; but 

 science was not then sufficiently far advanced to appreciate them, as 

 those which were sent home were declared of little value. At the 

 Europa shell-limestone quarry, and in several parts of the town, vast 

 quantities were laid bare. 



It is very probable that these bones exist in most of the clefts of 

 the rock, as the author has come across traces of them frequently. 

 The bone-deposit near Governor's Cottage is described by Spix and 

 Von Martins, the Brazilian travellers, as "the well-known and 

 remarkable osseous breccia ; " and Surgeon M'Grigor found in them 

 bones of stags, oxen, tigers, and sheep, " and works of art." 



In conclusion, Lieut. Warren offers his services in case of a 

 geological survey of the rock being made, as suggested by Mr. 

 Busk and Dr. Falconer. 



This paper also contained a few remarks on the superficial and 

 other deposits of Gibraltar, and was illustrated by a plan and some 

 sketch sections ; but Prof. Ramsay having undertaken the above- 

 mentioned survey renders their publication unnecessary. 



