﻿FELIS SPEL/EA. L51 



CHAPTER XVII. 

 Range of Eelis leo, var. a, speljga. 



CONTENTS. 



§ I. Distribution in Britain. § 4. Continental range. 



§ 2. Mammals associated with the Cava Lion I § 5. Specific identity with Felis atrox, Leidy, 



in Great Britain. of North America. 



§ 3. Range in time in Britain. \ 



§ 1. Distribution in Britain. — In the previous chapters we have proved that Felis 

 spelcea is specifically identical with the existing Lion. We have now to show the distri- 

 bution of its remains in Great Britain, so that we may approximately arrive at its relative 

 numbers in various districts during the Post-glacial period. It is undoubtedly true that 

 there is no direct evidence on this point, for the remains that have been found are merely 

 those that have survived a series of accidents. Those in the brickearths and gravel-pits 

 owe their preservation to the chance, first of all, of the animals being drowned, of their 

 bodies having escaped the all-devouring jaws of the Hyaena, of their having been deposited 

 in the ancient river-bed, and not having been swept out seaward, to be devoured by the 

 fishes. To these must be added the chance of the gravel-pit or brickfield being formed 

 in that precise spot, of their being discovered, and, lastly, of their not being destroyed by 

 the ignorant workmen. Those also that have been found in the caves have had to rim 

 the gauntlet of a similar series of accidents. The absence, therefore, of its remains does 

 not prove that the animal did not dwell in any particular district, but merely that it does 

 not happen to have been discovered. But, nevertheless, the chances of preservation 

 being equal over the whole British area, the relative numbers of the animal that dwelt in 

 its various parts can be fairly estimated by the varying numbers of the remains found. 

 In undertaking this task we fully recognise the imperfection of the geological record. We 

 will begin with North Britain, and work our way southwards. 



The Cave Lion is conspicuous by its absence from the whole of Scotland, Northumber- 



