TKANSLATIONS AND NOTICES 



01-' 



GEOLOGICAL MEMOIRS. 



Boj^e-Caves in Portugal. By Senhor J. F. N. Delqado. 



[Commissao Geologica de Portugal. Estudos Geologicos. Da Existencia do 

 Homen no nosso solo em Tempos mui remotos provada pelo estudos das cavernas. 

 Primeiro opusculo. Noticia acerca das Grutas da Cesareda. Por J. F. N. 

 Deloado. Com a vei'sao em Francez por M, Dalbunty.] 



In this first instalment of a work on the former existence of man 

 in the caves of Portugal, Senhor Delgado publishes the results of 

 his labours in the caves in the Jurassic limestone of Cesareda. 

 After entering into the general question of the origin of caverns, 

 he describes the contents of the three which he explored. The first 

 of these, the Casa da Moura, contained deposits of two very distinct 

 ages, which together varied in thickness from two to four metres. 

 The inferior rested on the stalagmite, and consisted of sand mixed 

 with fragments of rock. It yielded fragments of charcoal, one bone, 

 and many flint implements. A human skull and lower jaw were also 

 obtained from its deepest part; but as the surrounding matrix had 

 been disturbed, they were probably buried at a time subsequent to 

 the formation of the deposit. The other bones and teeth indicated 

 the presence of the following animals : — No less than five species of 

 Felis, two species of Canis (C. Lupus, and a form larger than any 

 fox known to the author), a species of large carnivore, a species of 

 Cervus, Hypudceus ampliibius, Lepus cuniculus, and Erinaceus com- 

 munis. The remains of the rabbit were most abundant, and were 

 for the most part broken. None of the bones of the latter had been 

 subject to the action of fire, nor did they present any trace of gnawing. 

 The bones, charcoal, and flint implements the author considers to have 

 been introduced by man, who inhabited the cave at some early period. 

 The upper deposit is composed of a sandy loam, containing a large 

 quantity of stones and a vast quantity of objects fabricated by man, 

 such as hatchets of polished stone of the Celtic type, of flakes, and 

 other instruments of flint, bone, and antler ; many fragments of black 

 pottery coarsely made with bits of calcareous spar, of splinters of 

 flint, of small fragments of celts, and of plates of schist with designs, 

 which perhaps may have been used as amulets. There were also 

 many shells of Heliv nemoralis and cockles, some of which were 

 pierced for suspension. Fragments of charcoal were scattered through- 

 out the matrix, and adhered in small patches to some of the pottery 

 and to the pebbles, which had been probably used in constructing fire- 

 places. In the lowest portion of the deposit a bronze arrow-head 

 was buried. The most abundant remains were those of man; they were 

 to be counted by thousands, and were all in a condition more or less 

 fragmentary, and so scattered that it was impossible to construct one 

 perfect skeleton out of them. Some bones were far more abundant 

 than others ; but the teeth, which for the most part belonged to 

 young or fully grown adults, were particularly abundant. The long- 

 bones had lost for the most part their articular ends, and presented 

 longitudinal fractures ; and some of them had been cut and scraped. 



VOL. XXIV. PART II. C 



