﻿32 PLEISTOCENE MAMMALIA. 



to the same animal as the skull in that of the Rev. D. Williams. They were, however, 

 among the bones from Sandford Hill, and were therefore described as from that cave 

 in our first chapter. A closer examination has shown us that bones from different 

 caverns in the Mendip can be recognised with much probability by their condition and 

 the colour of the matrix. In both these respects the lower jaws strongly resemble the 

 remains from Hutton. They exactly fit the spelaean skull from Hutton. We therefore 

 suppose that they must have been accidentally misplaced either by Mr. Beard himself, or 

 in the removal of his collection to Taunton, and that they really belong to the same animal 

 that furnished the skull in the Hutton Cave to the Rev. D. Williams. 



The skull in question is that of an adult rather past the prime of life. The teeth are 

 decidedly worn, and the alveolus of the right upper tubercular molar is partially removed 

 by absorption, which proves the loss of the tooth during the lifetime of the animal. Its 

 state of preservation is shown by the following list of its component bones. A minute 

 portion of the right nasal is present in the angle of the frontal suture, also small portions 

 of the palatines adjoining the maxillary suture, and also that with the pre-sphenoid. The 

 maxillaries with their dentition are nearly perfect, the palatine process being excepted. 

 Erom the (otherwise perfect) inter-maxillaries the incisors have gone. The left third 

 incisor was diseased, and probably lost during life. The right malar and squamosal are 

 absolutely perfect, and the left nearly so. The posterior or cribriform plate of the ethmoid, 

 and a part of its central plate, are present, so that the beautiful tracery with which it fills 

 the anterior end of the cranial cavity may be seen by looking through the foramen 

 magnum. The greater part, however, of the bone has disappeared. The vomer is entirely 

 wanting. The pre-sphenoid and orbito-sphenoid are nearly perfect. The superior parts 

 of both frontals are nearly perfect, but the orbital portions are much broken. The right 

 tympanic bulla is perfect. The articular portion of the squamosal ("corsal" of Straus- 

 Durkheim) is preserved on both sides, as also are the lower jaws, with the exception of the 

 coronoid processes and a small portion of one of the condyles. The basi- sphenoids, 

 ali-sphenoids, parietals, mastoids, basi-occipitals, exoccipitals, supra-occipitals, paro- 

 occipitals, and Wormian, are nearly absolutely perfect. A small part of the lachrymals is 

 attached to the frontals and maxillaries. The petrosals appear to be perfect, though of 

 course they are but slightly visible. 



The second skull (PI. X) is from Mr. Beard's collection, and was found in Sandford 

 Hill Cave. Along with it were found the lower jaws described in Chapter I and PL I of 

 our work. They were accidentally labelled as coming from Bleadon, and the mistake 

 transferred to our pages was not discovered until the chapter had gone to press. Both 

 skull and lower jaws belong to a young adult. Several bones of an animal exactly cor- 

 responding in size and age were found along with them ; and as those adjoining each 

 other in the skeleton exactly fit, we have reason to believe that we have a considerable 

 portion of the same individual. Unfortunately it was the practice of Mr. Beard " to 

 restore," not very skilfully, the missing parts of crania and other fossils with hard plaster, 



