On the Gibraltar Caves and their Fossils. 403 



and containing the results of their examination of the Genista Cave. 

 Referring first to Capt. Brome's report for a description of the 

 general features of that cave, the authors stated that the rock of 

 Gibraltar abounds in both seaboard and inland caverns, the Genista 

 Cave being one of the latter class. It has been traced downwards 

 to a depth of 200 feet ; but the external aperture has not yet been 

 discovered ; it was stated to be full of the remains of Quadrupeds 

 and Birds, some of the former being now wholly extinct, others ex- 

 tinct in Europe and repelled to distant regions of the African con- 

 tinent (as the Hycena brunnea), while others, again, live now either on 

 the rock or in the adjoining Spanish peninsula. A list of the species 

 to which these remains were referable was then given, and it was 

 inferred that there had been a connexion by land, either circuitous 

 or direct, between Europe and Africa at no very remote period. The 

 authors observed that the wild animals whose remains were dis- 

 covered lived and died upon the rock during a long series of ages, 

 and they gave a detailed account of the manner in which they con- 

 sidered the bones were introduced into the cave. They also recom- 

 mended the formation of a local collection of these and other spe- 

 cimens, urged the appointment of a geologist to make a geolo- 

 gical survey of the rock, and concluded by expressing their opinion 

 of the value and importance of Capt. Brome's exploration of the 

 Genista cavern. 



March 22, 1865. — W. J. Hamilton, Esq., President, in the Chair. 



The following communications were read : — 



1. " Notes on the Caves of Gibraltar." By Lieutenant Charles 

 Warren, R.E. 



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

 R,ocky, Genista, Asylum Tank, Poco Roco, and three under the 

 Signal Station, on the eastern face of the rock. The author de- 

 scribed the salient features of St. Michael's Cave, stating that it is a 

 portion of a transverse cleft through the rock, and was probably 

 open to view at no very remote historical ^period ; and he briefly 

 noticed the cave at Poco Roco, which he considers to be a portion 

 of the fissure which extends from Bell Lane, in the town, to the 

 village of Catalan Bay, the noise of blasting having been heard on 

 more than one occasion through the apparently solid rock. In con- 

 clusion Lieut. Warren offered his services in the event of a geolo- 

 gical survey of Gibraltar being undertaken. 



2. " On the asserted occurrence of Human Bones in the ancient 

 fluviatile deposits of the Nile and the Ganges, with comparative 

 remarks on the Alluvial Formation of the two Valleys." By the 

 late Hugh Falconer, M.D., F.R.S., F.G.S. 



In this communication the author brought together the few in- 

 stances on record of the occurrence of mammalian fossil remains in 

 the Valley of the Nile, and instituted a comparison between the 

 Alluvial deposits of the Nile and those of the upper part of the Valley 

 of the Ganges which had come under his own observation. Ac- 

 cording to certain statements, fossil human bongs have been met 



