14 FOSSIL MAMMALIA. 



are in this passage two lateral dilatations, constituting a third 

 and fourth chamber in the map of the Acta Erud : At its 

 extremity it is necessary again to re-ascend to arrive at the 

 entrance of the third chamber, which forms a sort of portico. 

 Behrens, in his Hercynia Curiosa, says that there is no pene- 

 trating there, as it would be necessary to descend more than 

 sixty feet. But the map above-mentioned and the description 

 of Van der Hardt which accompanies it, characterize this third 

 chamber as the fifth, and place beyond it another tunnel or 

 passage terminated by two small caverns. Silbersschlag, in his 

 Geogenie, adds that one of them leads into a final tunnel, 

 which, descending considerably, leads under the other chambers, 

 and is terminated by a place filled with water. There are 

 abundance of fossil remains in this remote and unfrequented 

 part. 



The principal portion of the bones discovered in this cavern 

 belong to the genus of the bear. 



Other caverns very nearly similar are found in the chain of 

 the Hartz mountains. Many are also found in Hungary on 

 the southern dechvities of the Krapach mountains. But the 

 most celebrated of all is that of Gaylenreuth, situated on the 

 left bank of the Wiesent. It is composed of six grottoes, which 

 form an extent of more than two hundred feet. These caverns 

 are strewed with bones, great and small, which are all of the 

 same description as are to be found over an extent of more 

 than two hundred leagues. More than three-fourths of these 

 bones belong to a species of bear as large as our horses, and 

 which IS longer found in the living state. The half or two- 

 thirds of the remaining bones belong to an hyaena, of the size 

 of the living bear. There were also the remains of a tiger, 

 wolf, fox, glutton, and pole-cat, or some species approximating 

 to it. The bones of herbivora are also found there, particu- 

 larly of cervi, but in smaller number. Soemmering has also 

 mentioned that a portion of the cranium of an elephant was 

 extracted from this cavern. 



