CAVE-HUNTING. 249 



quently, from the debris which was thrown out, 

 there were picked up some human remains, a 

 bone needle, an awl, some beads, and an ear- 

 ring. 



Of course, the question at once suggested 

 itself how these remains came to be here, and 

 at the same time arose a difficulty. They were 

 not those of quiet, peaceful creatures, but many 

 were of the larger carnivora ; and here were 

 their bones strewed among those of animals 

 upon which they were wont to feed. 



The solution of this may probably be found in 

 the fact that almost all carnivorous animals drag 

 their prey to some quiet lair, there to devour it 

 at leisure. Hence the accumulation of so many 

 of the remains of deer and domestic animals. 

 The same fact, of course, would apply to the 

 human bones ; also of the ornaments and imple- 

 ments which were not unfrequently discovered. 

 Then to account for the presence of the carni- 

 vora themselves — it is well known that when 

 these are wounded or overtaken by age they 

 instinctively seek out some lair in which to die ; 

 hence the curious compound of species in our 

 fissure. 



It may be, of course, that the rude hunters 



