ON THE MAMMAL-FAUNA OF THE CAVES OF CRESWELL CRAG^. 589 



32. On the Mammal-fauna of the Caves of Creswell Crags. By 

 Prof. W. Boyd Dawkins, Esq., M.A.,' F.R.S., F.G.S., F.S.A., 



Professor of Geology and Palaeontology in the Owens College. 

 (Read April 11, 1877.) 



Contents. 



I. Introduction. 

 II. The fauna of the Robin Hood Cave. 



A. Distribution of Pleistocene Species. 



B. Palaeolithic Man. 



C. Carnivora. 



D. Artiodactyla, Perissodactyla, Proboscidea. and Rodentia. 



E. Remains of Historic and Prehistoric (?) Age. 



III. The Fauna of the Church-Hole Cave. 



A. Distribution of Pleistocene Species. 



B. Palaeolithic Man. 



C. Historic Remains. 



D. Robin-Hood and Church-Hole Caves occupied by British Welsh Re- 



fugees, 



IV. Condition of Fossil remains in Creswell Caves. 

 V. General Conclusions as to Pleistocene Fauna. 



A. No Cave-fauna pi'oved to be Pre- or Interglacial. 



B. No proof of Pre- or Interglacial Cave-Man in Britain. 



C. The Palaeolithic Man of Creswell of late Pleistocene age. 



I. Introduction. 



The exploration of the caves of Creswell Crags carried on by the 

 Bev. J. M. Mello, F.G.S., in 1875, and brought before the Society in 

 that and the following year, was finally concluded last summer ; and 

 the results have been handed over to me, by the Committee, for de- 

 scription — a task of no little difficulty, from the vast numbers of the 

 fossil remains which have been discovered*. The results are of 

 considerable importance, not merely because they confirm the con- 

 clusions which were arrived at from the previous explorations, but 

 because they add new facts to the history of palaeolithic man in 

 Britain. In dealing with these the Robin-Hood Cave will be taken 

 first ; and then I shall check the evidence which it offers by that 

 furnished by the cavern on the other side of the ravine of Creswell 

 Crags known as the Church Hole. It must, however be remarked 

 that the history of both these caverns is rendered imperfect from the 

 promiscuous diggings carried on by unauthorized persons, the results 

 of which have not been brought before the Committee. 



* Our method of work was to put up into calico bags, properly labelled, the 

 results of the labours of each day ; and these were, from time to time, sent off 

 in hampers to Owens College, where they were spread out, cleaned, gelatinized, 

 and arranged, each date, corresponding with the day's work, being marked on 

 the plan. This was continued until, in six weeks, the caves were worked out as 

 far as we cared to pursue them. 



